Barian of the Void
by TrueHeartKnight
Summary: She wanted to hope. To hope that things would finally be different. To hope that she would be able to prove herself to the world. To hope that she would bring honor to her name and become someone worth remembering. And most of all, to hope that finally she would no longer be just a "Zero". What she got was all that and more, as hope is reborn one last time. In the form of Chaos.
1. The Dream

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

* * *

Run.

Just keep running.

Don't stop. Don't look back. Just run!

That was what she kept telling herself, her legs continuing to work themselves harder than they ever have before in her life. She didn't know where she was running too or what she hoped to find, but she knew she couldn't stop.

She could feel her entire body ache and her chest cramp up in pain from the heavy breaths she was taking. How long had she been running exactly? It felt like a lifetime to her, as if her whole life had been spent doing nothing but continuously running. At the same time it felt as if she had only just started mere moments ago, almost as if time itself had frozen her in place, like it was taunting her for some reason. Not that she really bothered to keep track of the time considering she was trapped in some forsaken abyss of darkness.

How had she even ended up here? She couldn't recall. The last she remembered was that she had headed back to her room for a goodnight sleep and then…nothing. No memory of what happened afterwards, no recollection of her entering the room or going to bed, or anything at all. Had she even gotten to her room in the first place?

She didn't know! And yet it felt as if the memory was right there in front of her, just out of reach but unable to be claimed, as if wanting her to continue suffering in blind confusion. It only served to add to her frustration as well as fear, not knowing anything about what she was doing. Though did any of that really matter now considering the circumstance?

Shaking her head the girl continued to run as heavy pants of air continued to escape from her burning throat. Was it still behind her? She didn't know, but she didn't dare to look back. Every time she did, every time she looked at _it_ , her body froze up and a cold twisted feeling hit her chest. As if she was staring into the face of death itself.

Was that it? Was it death that was chasing her? The cold eternal embrace that ended all things?

But why? What had she done wrong? Why her? She was still young, still beautiful; she had her whole life ahead of her. So why would death be after her?

Or worse to consider, did this mean she was already dead!?

It couldn't be! If she was dead she had no recollection of it. No memory, nothing about what caused her death, just like how she had no memory as to why she was running. Did she die honorably? Did she crawl in some corner somewhere and simply waste away, Brimir forbid!? It was a horrible thought to consider, her dead without knowing the reason behind it. If she weren't in such a panicked state of mind right now she probably would have taken the time to truly comprehend the fact that her life was now forfeit to the great beyond.

Or at the very least, soon to be.

"Ah!"

The thoughts of the runner were cut off as her legs finally gave out, the burning sensation being too much for her body to handle as she tumbled to the cold rocky surface below her. Shaking in exhaustion and pain the girl struggled to catch her breath, her teeth grit tightly together as she placed her hands to the ground and tried to push herself up as fast as she could.

Only to freeze as a large and sharp blade crashed into the ground before her.

Eyes wide in terror the female jumped back with a startled scream before snapping her head to the direction the attack came from. What she saw sent a cold wave of terror down her spine.

In the endless void, almost hidden within in the dark shadows, was a massive figure. Bigger than any creature she had seen in her life, even her mother's manticore. It's body, despite being shrouded, seemed to glow with a blood red aura that seemed to pierce through the darkness and flow through every inch of its' form, almost as if it were alive. And as the red light grew brighter, a pair of golden eyes emerged lightly above the glow, glaring down through the dark and staring right at her.

Panic set into the girls' mind as she crawled backwards in a desperate attempt to put distance between her and the monster before her.

Only to freeze completely when she felt her back press up against something hard.

Eyes wide, breath short and rapid, body shaking, and mind in a state of turmoil, the girl slowly turned her gaze behind her to see what she had collided with.

And was greeted by a pair of heterochromic eyes.

A dark blue abyss in one.

And a blood red crimson in the other.

"Ah...ahhhh..."

The girls' mind froze as she struggled to look away. To get up, to scream, to do something. But her body refused to answer her as the multi-colored eyes continued to stare back. Her nerves finally seemed to answer her though as a loud and terrified scream tore its' way out of her mouth, the girl immediately pushing herself off the figure and trying to crawl away ferociously as she turned to face it, afraid of giving her back to the entity.

"S-Stay away!" The girl begged, pleaded even, hoping that whatever was looking at her would listen. But it didn't care. Instead the figure seemed to lift its' left arm towards her as a crimson light began to emit from it. "No...stop it...leave me alone!"

Panic controlled the girls' mind as she tried to push herself further away from the monster before her. However, as her hand moved down to the surface a loud cracking sound reached the girls' ears, giving only the briefest of warnings before she felt the ground below her palm suddenly cave in, falling away from her touch and causing her hand to lose balance and pull down in the same direction.

Causing the rest of her body to immediately do the same.

Eyes wide with fear the girl tossed her arms out desperately to grab hold of something, anything to hold onto. But only air greeted her as gravity finally took its' hold, pulling her entire body to topple over and plummet into the dark and endless void.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

 **SMACK!**

Only to slam hard onto a cold wooden floor.

"..."

A pair of eyelids twitched, brief flickers of pain and irritation seen in their tightness before they slowly opened to reveal a soft bright pink color, their gaze taking in the wooden flooring just below.

"What the...how did I?"

Grunting softly the eyes closed as their owner, a small female figure, pushed herself up off the ground in confusion. She reached though her long and flowing pink hair to scratch the top of her head, only for her hand to immediately pull away at the touch as her body visibly flinched, a jolt of pain shooting through the young girl's skull.

"Ow!"

Confusion struck the girl, wondering what happened to bring her such agony until she realized she must have landed on her head when she fell. Ignoring the pain the girl pushed the thought aside and quickly looked around to take in the sight. It was a bedroom, her bedroom to be exact, with white walls everywhere, shelves and decor of wondrous make all around, a pair of windows on the wall to her left, and a large soft queen sized bed in the corner.

A bed she had been sleeping on not long ago until _it_ happened again. The girl's expression quickly shifted from confusion to sorrow as her eyes turned down to the floorboard sadly.

"That dream again," the girl whispered to herself, her hands tightening into small fist. "Why won't it just go away already. Brimir...why is this happening to me?"

She sat in silence, waiting quietly almost expecting an answer to come to her, whether by her own thoughts or someone else appearing before her. Yet only silence greeted the girl, causing her to close her eyes and let out a heavy sigh. She shouldn't have expected any less.

Suddenly the sound of a bell ringing hit the pinkette's ears, causing her eyes to snap open once more. Head snapping upwards the girl pushed herself off the ground and rushed towards the window to her left, pushing it open before sticking her head forward to look out from it.

The girl winced briefly and raised a hand to cover her eyes from the bright rays of the morning sun that greeted her. Ignoring the sudden brightness, the girl focused her attention back to the sight below her and looked around for something specific. It didn't take long for her to spot her target, and upon doing so all traces of confusion and pain were quickly stripped away from her mind.

And instead replaced with immediate panic.

"I overslept!"

Without a second thought the girl moved from the window to her drawer, yanking out several layers of clothing as she rapidly moved to dress herself. Today was a big day after all, and she would never forgive herself for being late for such an important event.

Because today was the day she would finally prove herself to everyone. She would prove once and for all that she wasn't just some failure at magic. That she wasn't a dead last or a mistake. That she wasn't a Zero.

She was Lousie de La Valliere, and today she would prove that she was a proper noble!

* * *

Somewhere in an endless void of dark, a figure slept in eternal silence.

Never noticing the faint pulsing crimson glow emitting from its' chest.

* * *

 **Hello everyone. The name is TrueHeartKnight and this is my first chapter of my first story of fan fiction.**

 **I have been a reader of fanfic for several years now and have enjoyed reading and watching the different stories and worlds people can create, but have always been afraid to upload or create my own stories despite having so many ideas I wanted to share, most of which were crossover ideas.**

 **But recently I got back into the writing spirit and decided to finally come out of my shell and join the site for the first time in forever. And this is my first story to share on the site for everyone.**

 **Now I will be honest, I do not know how many stories I will be able to do at a time, or even if I can update really fast and frequently since this is my first time doing this. I do have several chapters already planned out and even written for this story but am still getting used to how everything works on the site, so I do not know when they will show. Also due to both my real life events and nervousness about writing a story on here, I ask that you guys assist me in getting used to the site, how things work, and even ideas and events for my story so that I can grow and write more.**

 **As I said I don't know how often I'll be able to write or what kind of stories, or even how many. But I want to do this because it's something I have always loved and wanted to share. So wish me luck, and I hope you enjoy the ride on my first story.**

 **Signed,**

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	2. The Ritual

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

* * *

"Today is the day of your summoning! This is the first exam of you second years, as well as the sacred day in which you will first encounter your familiar spirit, with whom you will spend the rest of your life with as a part of an aristocratic family."

Louise remained silent as she watched and listened to the words of Professor Colbert, the bald intellect addressing her along with her entire class on the day's events. Yet despite her silence Louise's mind was racing. This was it after all. This was her last chance to prove herself a true noble and show that she in fact could use magic just like everyone else. She needed to prove herself, especially after yesterday's little..."incident".

Hey, it wasn't her fault the teacher didn't listen to the other students. Sure, she may have accidentally blown up the classroom…again…but it wasn't like she did it on purpose or anything! It wasn't her fault that her magic wouldn't work for her!

She wasn't responsible for that!

Still, despite her seemingly calm outward appearance, inside the pinkette felt extremely nervous and worried, especially because of how big she boasted about today's event. She declared that she would summon a sacred, beautiful, and strong familiar. One that would be unmatched by anyone, and that she had absolute faith in the Summon Servant spell. But now with the actual event before her she could feel her anxiety growing by the second.

Would she even be able to do it? Would she be able to succeed and summon something so grand like she had spoken? Or would everything fall apart yet again? No, it couldn't, _wouldn't_ , do so! She would pull off the spell correctly and get a proper familiar like everyone else! She would succeed this time!

She had too…

"I can hardly wait to see what _grand_ familiar spirit you will summon," a teasing voice suddenly spoke from behind Louise causing her to jump.

Louise looked over and glared at the figure who spoke, recognizing the voice all too well. Long crimson hair, amber colored eyes, dark tinted skin, and a chest the size of damn melons. It could only belong to the one person she hated most in this world. Her eternal rival and the person who mocked her the most in the school.

Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt Zerbst

"Go away," Louise spat back, turning away from the Germanian so she could focus on the event.

Kirche simply smirked and giggled. "I just came by to wish you luck, and hope that you won't disappoint little Louise. Especially after your big boast yesterday."

Louise flinched and closed her eyes to ignore the woman. Leave it to that damn Zerbst to remind her. Her mind was already in a state of turmoil; she didn't need even more pressure than she already had. It was bad enough that this was her last chance, but to have her damn rival remind her of all people was just adding more fuel to the inferno, something the redhead would probably love to hear.

Taking a deep breath Louise calmed herself and tried to steady her mind as her eyes opened back up to focus back on the professor.

Only for her to jump back in shock and fear.

The professor had vanished. No, not just him, everything had vanished! The school, the students, even looking behind herself, Louise couldn't find any trace of Kirche anywhere. They had all just disappeared!

And were replaced with a dark endless abyss.

"No…"

It wasn't possible.

It shouldn't have been possible!

But it had happened again. She was back. Back in the nightmare.

But how, why!? This only happened whenever she was asleep, so this shouldn't be possible when its' the middle of the day and she was wide awake! It made no sense! And just what did this mean for everyone else, or the school grounds? Where did they disappear too? Were they still here, still by her side and she couldn't see them? What in Brimir's name was going on!?

Before she could act however Louise suddenly froze. Something was behind her. She didn't know how or why, but she could feel it. A presence right behind her. A very familiar one. Heart pounding in her chest, Louise slowly turned her head to peak at what was behind her.

And was greeted by a pair of heterochromic eyes.

Louise felt her body cement itself in place and begin to shake as she stared at the glowing orbs. Their dual colors stared back with an almost intense and intimidating glare.

Why? Why did she keep seeing those eyes?

 _"Louise?"_

What did they want from her? Why wouldn't they just leave her alone?

 _"Oy, Zero Louise? You okay?"_

Why did she keep having these nightmares? Why was she being punished like this? What had she done!?

 _"Hey come on, snap out of it!"_

She just wanted to prove herself! To prove she wasn't a failure! Was that so wrong!?

Was it!?

 _"Louise!"_

"JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!"

Louise's yell caught even her by surprise, her eyes blinking rapidly as her mouth let out a startled gasp. Confused as to what happened the pinkette lifted her head to look around and was taken immediately by surprise to see Kirche standing in front of her with a worried and confused expression. This look was shared by the professor, who had stopped talking and was staring directly at her along with every other student, most of which were giving her weird looks.

It then hit Louise that she was back at the school, back at the Springtime Familiar Summoning rather than in that dark void like before. Relief flooded her emotions before being quickly replaced with confusion.

What exactly happened just now? Was she now having the nightmares while she was awake? Was she beginning to go insane?

"Hey Louise, you alright?" Kirche asked hesitantly, still taken aback by her rival's outburst.

Louise turned her attention back onto Kirche, who looked at her with uncertainty and, was that concern? Louise huffed and tossed the motion aside. Zerbst concerned about her? She'd sooner give up being a noble then believe such a thing.

"I-I'm fine, just leave me be!" Louise responded hastily.

Without giving anyone time to respond the pinkette turned her back to Kirche and walked away from her and the entire class, all the while praying they didn't see the confusion and fear haunting her face.

* * *

"Oh, a Salamander huh? You sure summoned a big one, Miss Zerbst," Professor Colbert complimented as he examined Kirche's new familiar.

The Germanian felt herself swell with pride as she pet the large crimson lizard beside her. Shortly after Louise's little freak out, the professor quickly got the class back on track and continued his explanation on the Springtime Familiar Summoning before lining the students up for the actual event. After waiting several hours Kirche's turn had finally come around, and while it had taken a long time in her opinion it was well paid off as her summoning had gone splendidly. The Salamander, which she affectionately decided to name Flame, was at least 8 feet in length alone and one of the rarer breeds of its kind. If this didn't demonstrate her already impressive skill and ability with fire magic, nothing surely would.

"It's a result that matches my nickname, Kirche the Ardent," Kirche boasted proudly as she gave a calm and seductive smile.

Colbert nodded at the boasting before turning his attention away from Kirche and back towards the other students. Each one had their own brand and unique familiar with them, from moles, to bugbears, to birds, to all sorts of wonderful creatures. One student in particular, Miss Tabitha, had even managed to summon a dragon, which was incredible and extremely rare for any student to gain. Overall it was another huge success for this generation of mages, bringing a smile onto the bald professor's face as he felt proud of each and every one of his students.

"So, has everyone gone then?" Colbert called out to the class, wanting to be sure that nobody had been missed or left out.

At that question Kirche's smile disappeared into a frown. There actually was one student left who hadn't gone, and naturally, that person was none other than Louise. But after what happened earlier would it really be alright to let her attempt it? The way she looked before, the expression her eyes held. She had seen many a times where the failure had such looks, but for some reason this one was quite different and actually made Kirche worried for her rival.

Still...

"No, one student is still left," Kirche finally replied, her smile reforming as she did while her gaze turned towards her target. "Miss Valliere."

At this the crowd of students all turned their attention towards one part of the courtyard, where the pink-haired noble stood away from the others. Almost as if she was trying to hide from them. Noticing their glances Louise flinched but quickly collected herself, knowing not to show any signs of weakness before nodding silently and slowly making her way towards the group.

"Heh, the Zero is going up huh?"

"What do you think she'll summon?"

"Knowing her it'll probably just be another explosion and that will be that, haha!"

Louise grit her teeth but pushed aside the voices of the other students.

Brimir curse them. She would show them. Today she would show all of them that she wasn't a failure anymore. She was a proper noble and could use magic just as well as any of them!

Standing in the center of the courtyard Colbert nodded and motioned for the other students to move back, which they quickly did. He then turned to Louise and smiled. "So you know Miss Vallire, whatever happens today nobody will hold it against you. Just take your time and give it your best."

Louise nodded, a small smile creeping onto her lips as she felt a bit more reassured thanks to the encouragement of her professor. He was one of the few who never looked down on her simply because of her failures, and although he could be hard at times, he always tried to offer her sound advice and ideas to help out, even if they never worked. Nevertheless she was grateful for his support.

"Oy Louise!"

Louise's smile dropped into an annoyed scowl as she glared at Kirche, who had her own taunting smile etched across her face as she rubbed the head of her salamander.

"You said you would summon something greater than this boy, right?" The Germanian said, sounding more like a teasing statement than a question. "Let's see if you can back up your word."

"N-Naturally!" Louise shouted, not noticing Kirche's expression lightly soften.

Having all distractions now silenced, Louise nervously fiddled with her wand as she felt the gazes of everyone on her. This was it. Her last real chance to make things different and better for herself. Her last chance to no longer be known as just the Zero.

Her last hope.

Louise closed her eyes as she took one last deep breath. Slowly lifting her wand and began channeling her magic.

"I beg you..." Louise began slowly, feeling herself hesitate at what to say next, but steeled herself as she focused her power. "My slave who lies somewhere in the universe!"

The students all let out confused expressions and gasp at the words.

"What's with a chant like that?"

"W-Well it is rather unique to her, isn't it?"

Louise ignored them as she focused on the summoning. She couldn't fail now, she couldn't!

"Oh-"

 **BA-BUMP!**

Louise's voice cut off, her eyes widening as she felt a dark sensation crawl into her heart.

An instinctual fear swarmed over the noble girl's emotions as she looked around, seeing the other nobles and familiars all still watching her, and yet Louise could immediately tell something was wrong. Their eyes may have been staring in her direction, but there was no longer any emotion in them. Their bodies stood in the same spots they were in, but there wasn't even a hint of movement or motion amongst them. It was as if everything around her was suddenly frozen in time, and as Louise continued looking at them she could see the area around her begin to grow dark, as shadows crept from behind the circle she was in and slowly flowed towards her.

Trying to back away from the darkness Louise felt a presence above her and turned her gaze upwards, the echo of fear growing stronger in her heart as she did. The sky had become bloody red in color, with waves of dark clouds swirling about it like an infection. The clouds then seemed to move, gathering directly above Louise's spot and circling around as they formed a massive hole of some sort, like the eye of a giant storm. And from the hole, a massive pulsing crimson glow emitted down towards Louise, lighting the entire area in the same color.

Louise's grip on her wand lessened in fear only to tighten once again as she steeled herself. No, not now! This couldn't happen to her now!

This was her last hope! She couldn't fail!

Raising her wand higher, Louise glared at the light and continued to channel her magic.

"Oh sacred, beautiful, and strong familiar spirit!"

The crimson aura glowed brightly as the light focused on Louise, as if angry with her words and defiance. Louise felt the panic and fear inside her begin to eat their way into her heart. She fought the sensation and continued chanting.

"I-I desire, and here I plead!"

A ferocious and twisted screech filled the air, making Louise wince in pain and nearly fall to a knee as the light grew even brighter. The sound was deafening and the intensity of the light nearly blinded the pinkette's vision as everything around her became a field of endless red.

"With all my...with all my..."

Louise's eyes widened in horror.

"W-With all of my...my..."

The last words of her chant…she couldn't remember them.

Why? Why didn't she remember the rest? She had practiced and memorized this chant for weeks on end without any signs of forgetting or misspeak! She had written it down multiple times, prayed to it at bed every night! So why couldn't she remember it now!?

Confusion and turmoil raced through Louise's head as the red light began to swallow everything around her. As it did various emotions began to invade the pinkette's mind and heart, the strongest of which quickly overtaking the young noble girl.

Despair.

"I...I..."

Louise felt her knees buckle beneath her as the light began to cloud her vision and thoughts.

It was too much. The fear, the agony, the pain. The hopelessness and horror the light emitted into her. She couldn't take it. She just couldn't do it anymore.

Maybe it was better this way. It's not like she could ever amount to anything. No matter how hard she tried or studied or practiced, it would always amount to the same damn thing. She was a failure, a _Zero_. Even her own family looked down at her. Nobody would ever respect her or care for her. Nobody would ever see her as a person who could do something worthwhile. Nobody would ever want her by their side.

Want to be there to care for her.

Want to always watch and protect her.

Want to…to love her…

Maybe it would be better to just give up. To just quit trying and surrender to what everyone said.

There was no future for her after all.

No light...

No hope…

Nothing…

 **"Don't give up!"**

Louise gasped, eyes snapping open.

"W-Wha-"

 **"Are you going to just sit there and cry!? What will that do huh!?"**

"W-Who is-"

 **"If you want to just surrender to the world and die, then what'll that prove in the end? You really want to go back to being a failure? To being weak and worthless like they all say you are!? Are you really content with that!?"**

"But I-"

 **"You say there's no hope? Don't bullshit with me! If you feel there's no hope for you in the rest of the world, that everything you wished for has been for naught and taken from you, then make a new hope for yourself! Find your own purpose beyond what you are! Your own reason for existing, not because of what others say or see you as!**

"I.."

 **"And if that still fails, then I'll be your hope myself! I'll become the one thing you can trust in no matter what! But only if you fight back! So answer me again, are you content with just surrendering and dying here like this!?"**

Louise felt her vision begin to clear.

"No..."

 **"Do you want to be remembered as the girl who was a failure? Who kept trying and trying but never succeeding at all in anything?"**

Louise stopped shaking, her hand tightening on her wand.

"No."

 **"Do you want to lose everything!? Do you want your legacy, your name, your magic, to be remembered as nothing but a ZERO!?"**

"NO!" Louise shouts as she glares up at the large crimson light, it letting out another roar in defiance.

 **"THEN STAND UP AND FINISH IT!"**

Louise let out a massive cry and stood to her feet, ignoring all other emotions and pain as she pointed her wand to the crimson light.

"I DESIRE, AND HERE I PLEAD WITH ALL OF MY HEART! ANSWER MY GUIDANCE, AND STAND BY ME FOREVER!"

Upon the completion of her words a bright white light suddenly shot out from Louise's wand and exploded towards the crimson aura, slamming into it and causing it to let out a loud and vicious shriek. The light didn't stop there though as it quickly began to grow and consume the crimson aura, swallowing everything around the young noble before blinding her vision completely. But unlike before where it was filled with sorrow and despair, this light felt comforting, tranquil, and peaceful.

As Louise's vision began to fade and embrace this warm feeling, she heard one last chuckle from within the light itself.

 **"Well said girl."**

* * *

"I knew this was going to happen!"

"Gah I can't see!"

"Dammit Zero you did it again!"

Louise blinked, her thoughts blank for a moment before she looked around confused.

What happened? Why was there smoke everywhere?

She could remember chanting her spell for the familiar summoning, and then…nothing. No recollection of her finishing the chant or saying the words. It was as if she had suddenly blacked out for some reason. Had she been so scared of failing that she somehow erased the entire ritual from her mind? That would be almost laughable if it weren't something she'd be afraid to know was true.

While she couldn't know for sure what happened during that time due to lack of memory, she could see that for some reason a thick cloud of smoke now covered most of the courtyard while several of the students and familiars were no longer standing. Instead it looked as if they had been blown off their feet and were struggling to recover from what appeared to be a massive explosion.

Wait…an explosion?

Realization hit Louise hard, her wand dropping from her hand as she felt her emotions spiral downward.

" _I…I failed…"_

That was the only explanation for what happened. She hadn't managed to pull off the familiar summoning ritual like she said she would. Instead she just caused another explosion like all the other times before. There was no summoning sign, no familiar to be seen.

Nothing.

Just...another Zero.

Louise's hands tightened as she hung her head and closed her eyes to fight back the wet feeling emerging from them. A noble wasn't supposed to cry. Wasn't supposed to show weakness. But right now, she didn't feel like any noble, and instead felt herself wanting to break down on the spot.

"H-Hey what's that on the ground by the Zero?" One of the students suddenly called out.

"Huh? What are y- w-what the hell!?"

"No way...is that what I think it is?"

Whispers and shocked voices began to fill the air, making Louise open her eyes in confusion. She noticed everyone's gaze aimed towards her direction, but not on her directly. No, it looked like they were staring at something behind her. Turning around Louise looked to where they were staring, and felt her eyes widen in shock.

Lying on the grassy ground passed out before her, was a boy. He looked young by appearance, probably around her age or younger, and wore a dark purple coat over a dark red shirt, with a set of gray colored jeans and an odd pair of white shoes. The strangest thing was the boy's hair, which was a dark purple color that seemed to hang down and curl at the ends of his pale skinned face, like a pair of spiked hooks or claws.

Around the boy's neck were two strange necklaces. One was thin with a black rope that seemed to hug the boy's neck, with a strange silver spear tip shaped pendant that hung right below his chin. The other necklace however had a large golden chain that hung down to the boy's chest, and on it, another pedant. But this one was much larger, nearly ten times the size of the other, and was oddly shaped like a twisted dark gray cross with a large ruby gem in the center.

It looked strangely familiar for some reason.

The oddest thing however that could be spotted, was the strange blue gauntlet attached to the boy's left arm. It was rectangular in shape and had a black flat plate on the surface top for some reason. The gauntlet also seemed to be attached to a circular silver piece from below that flowed around the boy's arm to hold it in place. And finally, located in what seemed to be some sort of large slot on the gauntlet located near the boy's wrist, was what appeared to be some sort of brown and orange square box.

Louise stared silently at the sleeping figure. Her mind silent and comprehending what it was that she was seeing.

After a moment, it finally hit her.

"A... A human?" Louise muttered as her eye seemed to twitch. There was no way. No possible way this could be happening to her. She didn't even remember finishing the chant, so this had to be a mistake, right?

But as much as she wanted to deny it, the truth was staring her right in the face.

"M... My familiar...IS A HUMAN!?"

As Louise shouted out in anger and disbelief, the red gem on the boy's pendant seemed to pulse very slightly.

* * *

 **Here is chapter 2! As I said I have a few chapters already made ahead of time so hopefully the first few should be up relatively quickly. Though given how busy I will be in real life, as well as the fact that I don't want to give away too much so soon as any good reader does, I will probably take my time uploading them. That way I can take the time to look them over last minute and see if I can improve anything.**

 **Also a special thanks to Omega Porunga for being the first reviewer of my story. I'm actually surprised as I didn't expect one so soon but thank you very much and I hope I will meet to your standards.**

 **In any case I will probably upload another chapter sometime this weekend so look forward to it. Until then.**

 **TrueHeartKnight.**


	3. Awakening

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

* * *

 _"Shark! Hey!"_

 _He didn't respond, not at first anyways. He simply laid there on the ground for a moment, fully taking in what just happened. His back ached from the crash, he could feel several bones broken in his chest, and his entire skin felt on fire from the explosion caused by his own card. Heck, he was pretty sure some of his skin had actually burned off._

 _In other words, his body felt like shit. But at the same time the pain felt like nothing to him, not when a much stronger emotion filled his heart._

 _Relief._

 _It was over. It was finally all over. He may have lost sure, but at the same time it didn't feel like a loss at all. Maybe it was because of who he lost too. Maybe it was because he no longer cared about the result. Heck, maybe it was due to how much pain he was in. Regardless of the reason, it was finished for him, and goddamn if it wasn't one hell of an ending._

 _Forcing himself to his knees he focused on pushing his weakened body up from the ground._ _"I knew what you were going to do. That you two would use Double Up Chance, geeze. But you're the kind of good-hearted guys who wouldn't attack," he spoke as a smile graced his lips. Finally managing to get on his feet he turned to face the trio before him, focusing specifically on the two he just fought. "But, Yuma. Astral. You two have infected me with those words of yours."_

 _"Shark..."_

 _"Then from the beginning you-"_

 _"Don't be foolish," he interrupted, glaring slightly at the floating deity before him. "I was completely serious. But I have no regrets."_

 _The glowing spirit didn't reply back, which was good seeing as he wasn't exactly in the condition to be arguing. Closing his eyes his expression softened. He pondered on a thought briefly before he looked back at the boy._

 _"Yuma, most people throw away what's most important to them when they grow up. But you should never throw it away. The ability to believe in others, a heart and soul that never gives up, never throw those things away."_

 _"S-Shark!"_

 _As the boy before him yelled out he could suddenly feel something happening inside of him, though he had a pretty good idea what it was. Looking down slightly he saw his body slowly become engulfed in a crimson light and felt his power and life fading away. He was dying again, this time for the last time. Soon, he would no longer exist in this world, and the future of his home, his people, his friends, and his memories, would be left to the ones in front of him._

 _"I want to see the future you guys create, alongside you...but I don't think I'll be able to."_

 _Focusing with what little strength he still had the boy didn't fight against the sudden tug on his power. Instead he pushed it out willingly as the endless amount of power he had taken poured from his fading body into the body of the floating deity, while the boy and girl before him stared in shock. Upon finishing the task, he turned his gaze to the girl and smiled._

 _"Kotori, don't take your eyes off that idiot for a second."_

 _The girl fought back tears as she covered her mouth with her hand. He mentally chuckled at the sight, knowing full well that she could never hide her emotions well. He then turned back to the other two as he felt the final pull. This was it._

 _"Thank you, Yuma. Astral. My best friends. That Duel, up to the final second, was the greatest Duel I ever played. And ever enjoyed."_

 _"SHARK!"_

 _A single tear escaped his eyes before he closed them both._

 _"Goodbye..."_

 _And let the cold of death take him._

* * *

Clinics.

Establishments designed for applying medical treatment and advice to those who have either injured themselves or been put in a critical state of health. And in a world ruled by magic, where all sorts of spells, monsters, and other threats existed, such places of healing were greatly needed in order to ensure that you could live to see another day.

The medical wing at Tristain Academy of Magic was no different in this regard. Located in the blue-colored Water Tower due to the element's natural affinity for healing, the wing was used for the purpose of treating any injured student or staff member who had gone about and either done something stupid involving magic, or gotten themselves hurt in some other way shape or form; the most common cause of late being caught in the blast radius of one of the Zero's failed spells.

Despite this not many seemed visit the clinic as one would expect, as despite their attitudes the students took great pride and care in their uses of magic and the actions caused by it. As such, outside of a few doctors and staff nurses, the wing was usually a very vacant and quiet place.

The interior of the clinic itself was rather simple in appearance. The white colors gave a simple yet peaceful atmosphere, with a relaxing and comfortable environmental feeling about it. Desks, shelves, and boards were located around containing all manner of medical equipment or tools. Windows seemed to line up on the walls as well as parts of the ceiling to allow proper lighting and give off a warm vibe. And of course, dozens of individual beds and sheets were located around for students to rest on for their time there.

One of which was currently occupied by a purple-haired sleeping boy.

* * *

Soft.

That was the feeling that could best be described to the boy as he laid down on whatever surface was below him. He didn't remember death being this soft before. And warm too. It was a smooth kind of warmth, but nothing he didn't mind. It was rather strange considering the number of times he had died before he had never felt this way.

How many times was it now? Three, four times he had died? He honestly forgot, but considering this was the newest addition to that number he supposed the exact amount didn't exactly matter.

Still, he had to admit this was probably the most peaceful feeling of death for him so far. It was a rather nice in comparison to every other time, so he didn't mind letting death accept him once again in its' embrace. With that thought he allowed himself to fall asleep once again.

…

…

…Wait.

This wasn't right.

Sure, it was a rather soothing and comfortable mood to accept the inevitable end in, but for some reason something was off about it. Death wasn't supposed to be this warm. It was supposed to be cold and unforgiving, at least when it involved someone like him. Shouldn't he be suffering or something after all he had done? After all the sins he had committed, why was he suddenly allowed to feel this level of comfort in death when he had never felt so before?

Hell on that note, why was he still able to think or feel anything? The dead don't think or feel, least that's what he believed it should be like. He wasn't sure since he couldn't exactly remember what happened the other times he had died. After all, every other time he'd simply been reincarnated into another body and forgotten everything about his previous lives. And not only did he forget those events, but he couldn't even recall what happened to him in death before he was reborn.

But this time was different. He could still recall everything. Every life, every action, all if it. He could remember when he was a king of two different worlds. He could remember growing up as a child in Heartland city. He could even remember the time he spent with...Yuma and Astral.

He could remember it all.

Which made no sense!

There was no thought or feeling when one had fully embraced death, right? Then it made no sense for things to be so different this time. Especially in regards to someone like him who had died multiple times.

...Unless…

Did that mean...?

Suddenly the boy's body twitched, a brief flicker of irritation showing across his face as the closed pair of eyelids slowly opened up to reveal a sea of dark blue.

"Where…?"

The pair of eyes blinked slowly at first, the boy's hazy vision confusing him as he tried to make sense of the situation. The first thing he took note of was the light, which was slightly blinding as a result of his recent stay in the darkness, forcing him to squint his eyes together to try and dull the brightness. Looking past the light he quickly took note of the white ceiling above him, as well as the white bed and sheets his body was currently resting in. Pushing up from the bed to get a better view the boy was immediately hit with a soft yet cold feeling against skin. Looking down to figure out why, two things immediately stood out in his mind.

One, he was in his human form again.

And two, he was wearing some sort of medical gown.

If it wasn't for the fact he had no idea where he was or how he got there, he would have found the situation hilarious familiar.

The boy grasped his head as his vision began to fully clear itself. Taking a moment to gather his thoughts the boy pushed himself off the bed to fully take in the sights around him. It looked as if he was in some sort of medic or hospital room, though it looked very different from the ones he was accustomed too as there wasn't any signs of advanced medical equipment or technology around. Heck just looking at the bed was proof enough, as it was just a regular old bed without any special adjustments or buttons to use. He should know this because he had been in a hospital more times than he would have liked when he was still human.

But those thoughts were cleared from his head and quickly replaced by all sorts of questions. Why was he in a hospital room of all places? No better question, _how_ was he even in one? Considering what he last remembered happened to him, such a thing occurring was well below zero percent and he damn well knew it.

The only other logical explanation outside of the fact that it was some crazed death dream seemed even more impossible. But at the same time, it was the only other explanation he could fathom.

"I'm...alive?"

It wasn't possible, but yet what could he say to deny it? He felt, for a lack of better words, alive. He could think, he could feel, he could breathe, and last he checked the dead couldn't do such a thing.

But how had it happened? He knew for sure that he died again, and that this time should have been the absolute last time given the circumstance of his final Duel. The only way he could see himself still living was if Yuma and Astral used the Numeron Code to bring him back. It made the most sense considering what the cosmic power was capable of.

But then why would he have been revived in a hospital bed with nobody around, let alone in a hospital room he didn't recognize? Shouldn't he have just been brought back to Yuma, Astral, and Kotori's side. Now thinking on that, where were they, or any of the others? Shouldn't they all be here? Maybe they were around and left or something, or maybe he had been resurrected earlier but just didn't wake up till now?

No, it couldn't be that. The Numeron Code could have easily restored him to full strength and revived him fully right next to his friends. It had the power to bend all of reality after all.

So then what was it?

All the questions and confusion brought a migraine to the boy's head as he rubbed his hand through his hair to try and clear his thoughts.

["And he's still not awake?"]

The boy's head suddenly snapped upwards. What was that? Was that a voice just now?

["Not yet Old Osmond. It's actually worried the medical staff due to the nature of his injuries. It was a miracle in itself that the boy was clinging onto life as he was, but due to how extensively hurt he was combined with the mystery of he ended up injured in the first place, there's no telling when he'll awaken, even with our magic."]

The boy's eyes narrowed. It was definitely a voice, two in fact. And from the sounds of it they were heading towards this location. Most likely because of his presence here seeing as there was nobody else in the room. For some reason though he couldn't make out what they were saying. It was if they were speaking an entirely different language.

The door to the room then opened as two people stepped inside. The first was a bald-headed man with blue eyes and glasses, followed by a gray-cloaked wearing old man with very long white hair and a just as long beard and mustache.

["At this rate we may have t-"] The bald man began to say, only to pause when he spotted the boy, his eyes widening in shock. ["Y-You're awake!?"]

["Oh hoh? Seems the young man is stronger than we thought, eh Colby?"] The older man said as he rubbed his beard excitedly.

["It's Colbert sir,"] Colbert corrected as he moved closer to the purple-haired boy and grasped his hand in examination. ["Hmmm, no sign of external injuries at all. No indications of discomfort or misaligned stature. All healed, and so soon? Incredible, but h-"]

"Let go!" The boy shouted as he pulled his hand away hastily, making Colbert step back surprised. Caught off guard by the sudden outburst the professor quickly recollected himself and looked at the boy curiously.

["I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so rude or frighten you, but could you repeat what you said?"] Colbert asked, not understanding what the boy had shouted.

The boy's eyes narrowed as he watched the man speak. Or at least he assumed the man was speaking, as he couldn't understand a word that was said. The language certainly sounded familiar but at the same time he couldn't quite place it. "What? Oy, what the hell are you saying?"

Colbert's expression filled with concern. The boy was trying to communicate with him for certain, yet he spoke a language the professor couldn't recognize at all. And he had studied many languages in his time. ["Could you try saying that again? My name is Jean Colbert. Do you understand me?"]

The boy began to grow frustrated. "Just what are you saying? Hey, do you understand me at all!?" He raised his voice, hoping it would get through. Yet the looks on the two before him remained the same.

["Hmmmm, seems the young boy doesn't speak the same dialect as we do. That will certainly be a problem if not addressed right away,"] the older man voiced, stepping forward to get a better look at the boy. After a moment he turned and addressed Colbert. ["Allow me to try professor."]

["Ah, yes Old Osmand,"] Colbert nodded and stepped back to allow the headmaster room.

The boy's eyes turn towards the newcomer with suspicion as he approached. "Hey what are y-"

He was cut off and nearly jumped as the man's staff was suddenly pointed directly at his face. Before he could give a reaction the old man shut his eyes and began chanting.

["Azul, ben, ama. By my word, allow speech to be given freely and open to the one before us now."]

The tip of the staff suddenly started to glow brightly. The boy moved to cover his eyes from the light only to look down surprised at seeing his own body covered in a white aura of some kind. A strange sensation entered his mind, though not unpleasant, and after a few seconds the light faded away into nothingness, along with the aura around the boy.

Osmond nodded and placed down his staff. "There, that sh-"

"What the hell was that!? What the hell did you do just now Oji-san?!" The boy shouted angrily as he glared at the two strangers.

"Ah, I understood him! It worked Old Osmond!" Colbert praised happily. Osmond gave a sign of victory with his fingers while the boy froze in place, wondering if he had just misheard what was said.

"H-Hey, just now, what did you just say? Did you say 'it worked?'" The boy asked almost hesitantly.

"He did, and it seems that, yes, my spell in fact did work," Osmond answered for the professor, turning to fully give the boy his attention. "Now with that little mess out of the way, tell us young one, what is your name?"

The boy looked at both of the new speakers with hard eyes and a confused mind. He wasn't sure what just happened or how he could suddenly understand them, but whatever barrier that kept him from getting answers had suddenly vanished. However, he was also now aware that these people seemed to possess powers and abilities he wasn't quite familiar with, which meant they could be dangerous.

Still, he couldn't act out his next move without any knowledge, and since he could understand them now hopefully he could get some damn answers. And if they tried anything funny...well it's not like he was defenseless or weak.

"My name is Kamishiro Ryoga," the boy answered with a hard tone. "Now if you don't mind me asking, just what the hell is going on here!?"

* * *

 **Hi guys, I'm back with Chapter 3. Told you I'd get it up soon, hehe.**

 **I'll probably put up another chapter either sometime later today or tomorrow since I'm free for the weekend, but as I said I don't wish to rush too quickly with the deliveries since I want to still write my other chapters as well as give time between each segment. Considering also I'm not sure how often I'll be able to even deliver chapters later on, I don't wish to give people the wrong idea that I'm a rapidly fast updater since this is my first time doing this.**

 **Hope you all understand and still enjoy what I put up though. Also sorry if the lengths of each chapter seem too short. I promise later on they'll get much longer.**

 **Special thanks by the way to Bloodyangel12345 for being the first to follow my story, as well as add it to favorites.**

 **Thanks again and see you soon.**

 **TrueHeartKnight.**


	4. Understanding the Situation

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

* * *

Louise de La Valliere was many things.

She was a noble who was a genius at studies and political affairs, yet an absolute failure at magic. She had a brash and stubborn attitude, according to most who knew her, and would tend to do things without fully considering the actions of consequences of them. She would argue those statements by declaring she was more determined than any of them, and that it was fueled by the desire to prove herself to others and show them just important she was.

Regardless of what was said however, there was always the fact that despite her societal background, in the end Louise was still just a child. While she may have been considered an adult now at the age of sixteen, she was still a very young girl that was prone to encounter various subjects or events that could terrify her and reduce her back to that simple mindset in a heartbeat.

The idea of her familiar dying being one of them.

 _"Professor! He's not breathing!"_

 _"Why is there blood? Where did these injuries come from!?"_

 _"Somebody get him to the medical wing immediately!"_

Louise felt her chest tighten as she tried to shake the memory away. It wasn't her fault she kept telling herself. She had no way of knowing the familiar she would summon would be a human, let alone one that was so badly injured he was practically at death's door. How could she have anticipated something like that?

Then again nobody expected it. At first the common reaction from the mass of students was one she had come to expect, laughter. The others quickly began to openly laugh and mock her for her failure, commenting about how only the Zero could conjure up something like a human as a familiar. Especially Kirche, who just took extra pleasure at the fact that Louise had kept her promise in summoning a "grand familiar". The pinkette had to hold back her tongue to keep from snapping at them. She had already mentally prepared herself for any amount of ridicule she'd receive should the worst have occurred and she didn't manage to summon a familiar, but that didn't stop her from getting angry at the situation.

I mean a human, really?

Of all the things she could have summoned, her sacred, beautiful, and powerful familiar was a _human_!? She would have taken anything else, anything! A troll would have been better! And it wouldn't have even been so bad if not for the fact of how he was dressed.

Because only a _commoner_ would dare wear such odd and scruffy looking clothes.

So it wasn't bad enough that she had summoned another person as her familiar, but a commoner at that. The very concept frustrated her to the point that Louise had all but begged the professor to allow her to retry the ritual in hopes it was a simple mistake. But Colbert wouldn't budge on the matter, saying that the ritual was a sacred tradition that defined a noble's life and how performing it a second time was blasphemous. In truth she already knew this, but it didn't mean she had to like it, and as such was forced to accept that she had a commoner as a familiar. The idea made her a little sick inside, especially since she still had to fulfill the contract on the boy.

Which meant she had to kiss him.

To give her first kiss to a commoner…the very thought was degrading.

However, as Louise made to finish the contract and mark the boy as her familiar she suddenly stopped herself. Something felt off. At first she couldn't tell what it was and simply assumed it was just her nerves getting to her. That was until her hand touched the boy's cheek. It was cold, so much so she yanked her hand away in surprise. It was then she quickly realized that the commoner's skin was quite pale, and that she couldn't feel any amount of air being exhaled from his mouth.

And then she noticed the blood.

Lots of blood.

Blood that was quite fresh, and coming directly from her familiar.

The sight sent her into a panic, causing her to fall back and scream in terror, which instantly caught the attention of Colbert. Somehow her familiar was greatly injured and was practically _dying_ before her very eyes. It had frozen her on the spot even when the professor had called for aid and rushed the boy to the medical wing of the school. Louise tried to follow to understand what was happening to her familiar, but Colbert told her to go back to her dorm and wait, and that he would call her when they had news.

But how could she just accept that? Her familiar was dying, or maybe he was already dead, she didn't know! What she did know was that she had yet to make the contract with him and that if he died before that she would fail the test and no longer be a true noble.

And if she was the one who caused him to die...

That thought terrified her more than any other.

After all, despite the success of her summon she still caused another explosion like always. Regardless of their size or power her failures were never really dangerous, as the people caught directly in the blast were usually just knocked out and fine within a few hours, with the exception of having a splitting headache and ringing ears. But what if during the ritual she had used too much power and caused the injuries upon her summoned familiar?

What if she was the reason he was like that in the first place?

Louise would of course completely deny that she, in any sort of way, was concerned and guilt-ridden over the idea of injuring her familiar during the ritual, or that it may have been her fault he was in such a state. She was a noble after all and needed to put on a strong front no matter the problem or issue, and that included the state her familiar was in. Yet despite telling herself this, the thoughts kept creeping into her heart, plaguing her emotions and making her unable to push them aside for even an instant.

And so now here she was, finally deciding she had waited enough, on her way to the clinic to check in on her familiar against the orders of Professor Colbert.

 _"Why should I be denied to see my familiar though?"_ Louise thought to herself. _"He is to be mine after all, as much as I dislike the idea. So it's only by my right that I as his new master know about his current condition and state so I can apply the contract as soon as possible."_

She kept convincing herself with those words but at the same time Louise was nervous. If she got caught chances were she'd be in big trouble. I mean it was only right that a master be concerned over their familiar, but at the same time Professor Colbert had practically ordered her to stay in her dorm and wait for his return. To defy such orders from a professor was not something she would have ever considered doing before. Bad enough she had a dying familiar on her hands, and one she hadn't even made the contract with, but add to blandly ignoring and going against her teachers?

Her mother would kill her for such a thing!

Louise shook her head to clear her thoughts. What was done was done, and there was no turning back after going so far already. She would simply handle the consequences of her actions later.

Looking on ahead Louise smiled as she spotted the room where she learned her familiar was staying in, thanks to a conversation she listened in on between some of the nurses. Looking down the halls once more to make sure the coast was clear, the pink noble took a deep breath and readied herself as she reached for the door handle carefully.

"I refuse!"

Louise looked up surprised.

What was that?

* * *

Kamishiro Ryoga wasn't easily taken by surprise anymore. Given all the shit he had seen and experienced in his multiple lives there was hardly anything he could think of that would give him pause. Yet fate just seemed to love hurling him around like a pinball as he found himself silently contemplating everything he had just been told. It was a lot to take in at the moment so he said nothing while continuing to listen to the two men before him speaking.

Apparently he was in the medical wing of a place called Tristain Academy of Magic after supposedly being summoned during a "Springtime Familiar Summoning", or whatever the hell it was called. According to the man named Colbert, Ryoga's body had been greatly injured either before or during the summon and was all but breaking down death's door, for probably the fifth time if the Duelist recalled right. As such he was immediately rushed to the medical wing and had only just been saved from death a mere seven hours ago.

To any normal person, they probably would have been stuck in bed unable to really move or do anything without experiencing extensive pain and soreness. So the fact that Ryoga was awake and fully healed had baffled the two older men before him, as they hadn't expected him to make a full recovery so quickly even with the use of magic. Had his condition really been that bad? It must have been based on the amount of times he caught both men overlooking his body for injuries. Ryoga pondered over this and considered the possibility that maybe his powers were the reason behind his quick recovery, but then again he still wasn't sure if he even had them anymore after losing too Astral and Yuma, considering he currently felt as normal as he did during his human life.

As for hearing that magic had been used to heal him, it hadn't bothered him at all. Considering all that's happened in his life, current and previous, Ryoga was already aware that the universe was filled with various forms of power and magic, with some even still waiting to be discovered and controlled, whether for noble purposes or not. It put him on edge against these two, but for the moment he felt no ill intent from either of them so he wasn't going to start making judgement calls just yet.

But that wasn't exactly the main problem right now. No, the problem was he had no fucking idea where he was!

Tristain?

Halkeginia?

The names weren't familiar at all to him from any of his memories of both the human or Barian world!

At first Ryoga had gotten annoyed by the two men when they didn't know about Japan or Heartland city. Upon further questioning Ryoga told them where he was from, from his human life anyways, and had demanded they stop trying to lie to him. But when the older man with the long beard, Osmond if he recalled right, had shown him a map of the continent, all he could do was stare in complete shock.

He couldn't recognize anything. Not a single landscape or name on the map at all.

Not from the human world. Not from the Barian world. Nothing. He didn't even recognize the language written on the map. It was as if all the worlds and places he had known had been completely wiped away and replaced with this…this _thing_ he saw before him.

The only logical explanation he could come up with, much to his and the other men's surprise when he told them, was that he had been brought to an entirely new world. It made the most sense since he had already traveled between worlds before, though at least with the Barian and Human worlds they had always been connected to one another.

This was different though. This time he seemed to be in a world he didn't recognize at all. A world not connected to anything involving the Barian or Astral world, and maybe even the Numeron Code. How that was possible was still questionable as he was sure nothing short of god level powers could be capable of such an act.

It was only after coming to this realization however, that the cold hard truth hit Ryoga.

They were gone.

Yuma, Astral, Kotori, everyone.

They were all gone.

Ryoga had been given his life back somehow, but his home, his former life, his friends, they were all taken from him. He was trapped in some unknown and strange new alien world that wasn't connected to anything from his previous lives, and he wasn't even sure if he could ever leave and return back to his own world. Meaning everything and everyone he knew was, as of this moment, forever out of his reach.

He wasn't sure how to comprehend that fact. While he had died satisfied knowing that he could trust the future of all three worlds to Yuma and Astral, he now had to accept the fact that he had been reborn once more with this knowledge in hand. It wasn't even that he was worried about what may happen now that he was gone from that life, but that he wouldn't be able to see the future with them like he wished. That he had been ripped away from it all as if it was his punishment for his sins.

And even if he could return, what then?

He had lost the Numeron Code, and while he was sure Yuma would do the right thing with it, what would the former Barian possibly do? After his betrayal of his friends and the bonds he had created, would the worlds he came from even accept him back? He could no longer be a king to his people, he couldn't just return to his life as a human, heck, he didn't even know how long he had been dead or if time moved differently here.

For all he knew Yuma and the others may have already passed away, a thought that scared the former king to no end. And even if they were alive and he found a way back, after all the sins he had committed could he really just return to that life? Could he really just pretend it never happened and try to move on? Just act as if it was normal?

Was this why every other time he was reborn he always lost his memories? So that he didn't have to deal with the guilt and knowledge that he could never go back? That he could never fix the mistakes he had made? Save the lives he couldn't then? He probably would have just been better off dying again rather than living with such thoughts and pain in his heart.

And so Ryoga sat there in silence, his mind racing and his heart aching as the two men in front of him watched in concern. It stayed this way for a good ten minutes before the silence was finally broken.

"I…I'm so sorry," Colbert spoke slowly, not sure what else to say as he watched the boy before him with worry and a bit of guilt. Of all the things he and Old Osmond expected, a person claiming to be from another world was not one of them. Of course, they weren't exactly in full belief of the story at first; who would in fact?

Another world? It seemed like nothing more than a mere fantasy and myth made up by storytellers. But after seeing the boy's reactions to everything around him, along with his lack of knowledge of Halkeginia yet unusually large amount of knowledge regarding his own home, along with the strange gauntlet and clothes he had on his person when summoned, it soon became clear to the men that this boy was telling the truth. Or at the very least, believed what he was saying was true, as impossible as it may have seemed.

Especially when they saw his eyes.

They held no hesitation in them. No amount of doubt or deceit in what he was saying and hearing. Those blue orbs showed only absolutely honesty, fear, confusion, and most of all, pain. Not just any pain either, but the pain of loss. Of losing something dearly precious and being unable to get it back. It was a feeling both men were quite familiar with, as they too once shared such similar looks long ago, and it was the sight of that pain in the boy's eyes that caused their own doubts to dwindle away as they contemplated just how serious the situation had become.

"This…must be a lot to take in right now," Colbert continued, trying to think of any way he could help. "Had we known such a thing would happen-"

"But you didn't know," Ryoga responded coldly, his gaze kept down at his clenched fist. "You had no way of knowing. No idea what you were doing. No _concept_ of it," he practically spit out.

Colbert flinched and looked away while Osmond sighed in agreement. "Indeed. This is not exactly something we are familiar with or even considered to see in our lifetimes. The fact it is happening right now before us is quite a shock. But at the same time, can any of us truly say that we could have been prepared for such an event, or that any of us would not act in a similar way to such a revelation? After all, how many people can say they were prepared to face the reality of an entirely different world from their own?"

Ryoga wanted to snap at the old man for his words, to lash out in anger and frustration. But in the end he just closed his eyes and sighed.

The old man was right dammit. The former Barian knew it wasn't their fault and wasn't truly angry with them anyways. He was angry at the situation he had found himself in, as well the fear and confusion that was surrounding him right now. Considering he had just been given back a life he shouldn't have had; his mind was still trying to comprehend all of it and he was trying to find an outlet to emotionally strike at.

Like Osmond said, it's not as if any of them had planned for this. He could tell the two men were honest in their words and just as shocked as he was to discover he was not from this world, though chances were that they probably doubted him to some degree. Not that he could blame them. Who would honestly believe something so insane?

Regardless they hadn't simply decided to call him crazy and put him in the loony bin, or whatever it was called in this world. Instead they listened and even tried to help him understand the situation with him, and for that he was grateful seeing as he wouldn't have known what to do on his own. Besides, getting upset and frustrated wouldn't solve anything. What was done was done, and like it or not it wasn't like he could just go back in time and stop it from happening.

But that didn't mean he couldn't do anything now either.

He was in a new world after all. A brand-new world that, although was very alien and concerning to him, was waiting to be explored and discovered. Even though he had done many horrible things, he had still been given this final chance somehow, for some reason. He knew he could never be forgiven, but here in this world where nobody knew him or what he had done, it was as if a fresh new start had formed for him. A clean slate for him to do things one last time.

And most important of all, a chance for redemption.

A chance to make things right for himself.

A sound of bitterness escaped Ryoga's throat. Make things right? Who was he trying to fool. The concept was ridiculous, laughable even. He had sinned in such horrible ways that there was no way to make things right. He knew he there was no escaping the hell that awaited him upon his newest death. For him there was no true redemption from the crimes he committed.

Yet he still wanted to have some hope, like Yuma always did. Even if it seemed impossible, maybe he could try and somehow make up for all the evil he had done in both his human and Barian lives. It was something he never expected to be given, and he still wasn't even sure if he could do such a thing given his past actions, but here it was, right before him waiting to be taken. And while he may have felt unworthy of such a gift, he couldn't, _wouldn't_ , pass it up either.

He would adapt. He would learn as much as he could about this world. Learn how to survive in it, learn what the rules and powers were, and search for any answers he needed. He would live, and try to find a way to redeem himself through his actions on this world. To find a way to make it a better place and not waste this final chance given to him.

And if somewhere along the lines he found a way back home?

Well…he'd cross that path if it came to it.

"Sorry," Ryoga apologized as he looked up at the two men, his eyes now filled with understanding and determination, which surprised them both. "You're right. None of us could have expected this, and it's not your fault this happened. It was just a strange twist of fate or whatever, and nothing can be done to change it right?"

"Uh, y-yes right," Colbert replied as he adjusted his glasses. The boy's sudden change in emotion startled him a bit. "But what about you? I mean after all you've told us, assuming it's as true as you claim, are you really okay with this? You were taken from where you came from after all. Don't you wish to return?"

Ryoga let out a small laugh and smiled. "Yeah well, sometimes you just have to deal with the cards life throws at you. You said it yourself, there's no sure way of me even being able to return home, so unless that changed somehow in the past five minutes, I shouldn't get my hopes up," he turned to look out the window to his left at the open sky. "Besides…I'm here now, in this new world just waiting to be explored. So really what else is there to say? I'll just have to take things one step at a time and see what awaits me down this new road."

"Hohoho, I like this one. He's quite quick to adapt, huh Professor Colby?" Osmond rubbed his beard happily while ignoring Colbert's comment about his name. He soon stopped however and looked at Ryoga with a rather serious expression. "However, despite your enthusiasm I would recommend keeping the information of this other world you're from a secret. Not many here would believe such a tale, if our reactions were any indication, but even so such a story would bring up questions and complications I'm sure none of us wish to face."

Ryoga nodded in understanding. He doubted anybody would actually believe the idea he was from another world; hell, he still bet these two had some doubts of their own. But since he was in a new world he knew nothing about, there was no telling what kind of individuals existed here that would use such information to their advantage. For the time being it would be best to keep that little detail about himself hidden until he could learn more about this new dimension.

"Understood," Ryoga replied in agreement. "So, what exactly happens now?"

"Well…" Colbert gathered himself and put his hand to his chin in thought. "We should probably return to you your belongings. When you arrived here you were in the possession of several strange items that we had to remove for medical purposes. I'll grab them myself and deliver them to you later. Then there's also still the issue of the familiar contract to deal with so that should be addressed as well."

"Familiar contract?" Ryoga parroted.

"Ah yes, the Valliere girl," Osmond spoke up and scratched his beard. "She was the one who summoned you here you see. So essentially that makes you her familiar. Though I'm still not entirely sure if that's a good thing or not."

"Familiar? What exactly is that? You mentioned it before when you spoke of how I was brought here, but you never specified what it was," Ryoga said, his eyes narrowing slightly. For some reason he had a feeling he wasn't going to like what he heard.

Colbert decided to take the role of explaining. "Well as we explained earlier, at the start of the new year semester each second-year student takes part in a ceremony that we call the Springtime Familiar Summoning. This is a sacred and holy event that allows the students to summon forth a specific creature to create a contract with. These are what we call familiars. Based on the summoner, the familiar summoned is selected to be the best suitable choice for that particular person. This partner is then bonded to their new master for their whole lives and-"

"Excuse me!?" Ryoga suddenly interrupted making the two men jump.

"I-Is something wrong?" Colbert asked confused and bit worried.

Ryoga glared at the two, his expression no longer as calm as it once was. "What exactly do you mean by 'master'? And what's this about whole lives huh? What is that supposed to mean? You said I was brought here from being summoned but you said nothing about this earlier! Just what the hell was I brought here to do?"

The two men looked at each other. The boy's sudden switch in emotion had caught them off guard, but given his lack of insight of the world, as well as the tenseness from earlier still in the air, it was half expected that he might react in such a way. But based on the gaze he was now giving them they suddenly felt very worried about continuing the explanation, as they weren't sure how someone from another world would react to the ways things worked here, especially if they were vastly different where he was from.

Deciding to be direct with the boy and hope for the best, Osmond decided to answer. "To summarize young man, you were summoned here to serve Miss Valliere. She is to be your new noble master and you her familiar partner and guardian. To protect and obey her for her and your entire life, as well as serve and fulfill any request she ask of you."

Ryoga didn't respond.

Serve? Obey? Master!?

Those sounded _very_ much like…

"M-Mister Ryoga?" Colbert called out to Ryoga, the boy going deathly silent.

After what seemed to be a tense few seconds, the silence was broken by two words.

"I refuse."

The two men had almost missed the comment from how quietly it was spoke. However they did catch it, and upon realizing what was said both of them were taken aback. Did they hear him right just now?

Colbert decided to voice their sudden confusion. "I'm...sorry? What did you say?"

"I said I refuse," Ryoga repeated.

The two men's eyes widen as they looked back at each other and then back to the ocean-eyed teen.

"W-What do you mean you refuse?" Osmond asked.

Ryoga's head lifted back up with a very firm and hard gaze. "You're asking me to be a servant, right? To serve someone who I not only know nothing about, but for the rest of my life here in this world? I may have been brought here by accident sure, but it was still against my will, and now you're saying I don't have any choice in what I want to do or decide here? That I have to be some sort of slave!?"

Ryoga's fist clenched as he tried to contain his anger. Osmond frowned as he watched the boy's reaction. He had suspected there would be an issue in regards to a commoner being summoned as a familiar to a noble, especially one like Miss Valliere, but this was different. The tone the boy held, his body movement, the look in his eyes. It wasn't just the fact he was being brought into this situation after coming from another world, though that probably played a major part, but as if something personal had suddenly been touched upon and triggered something in the boy.

The ideas of what could have caused such a trigger did not settle well with the headmaster.

"W-Well it's not as bad as you make it sound," Colbert said, trying to find a way to calm the situation down. "It's not slavery per say. It's-"

"I refuse," Ryoga flatly stated.

"But it's a sacred ritual that has bee-"

"I refuse."

"But this has never happen-"

"I refuse!"

"P-Please be reasonable here. We're only trying to say th-"

"I REFUSE!"

"AHH!"

The tension between the three was suddenly shattered as a loud shriek and crash was heard at the entrance of the room. Turning their gaze to the now open door, the trio spotted a mess of pink hair lying on the ground in a sprawled-out fashion, and with it an embarrassed and guilt looking Louise.

Osmond felt a migraine begin to hit him. Colbert looked on in disbelief.

And as for the Duelist, he just stared at the newcomer with confusion.

"Who the hell are you?"

* * *

 **And here is Chapter 4. Which I noticed in my other notes was labeled 3 since technically the first one was supposed to be the prologue but, eh whatever.**

 **In any case had the free time and decided to post the next piece. It's very hard to resist actually posting since as I said I want to take my time with this despite having completed several chapters already, but I can't help it sadly. I probably will take some time to work on my current chapter because there was a point in this story I got stuck on and couldn't write past. However I have broken that border and want to work on it before I get worried and stop again.**

 **If that happens please be patient with me. In fact if I have trouble I'll probably inform you guys and ask for help. After all no great idea or story can be completed alone.**

 **Also I wanted you guys to know that if you have any questions or suggestions I will answer as many of them as I can at the start of each new chapter starting from this point. But since is the first time doing so, I will address the first question from a Guest reviewer here and now.**

 **Guest: So wouldn't ryoga be windralf?**

 **A: I believe the correct word you're looking for is Vindalfr, though Windalfr is also another way of spelling it I believe. Vindalfr is the Right Hand of God who is given the ability to control all forms of animals, like how Gandalfr is able to use every form of weapon. However as to your question well...I can't say too much without spoilers, but let's just say that many key events will be differed due to Ryoga's presence and actions, which you will see soon.**

 **After all one doesn't just cross the worlds without there being consequences. (I'm looking at you Decade).**

 **Anyways hope you enjoyed. Thanks for the support.**

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	5. First Meetings

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

* * *

Pink.

That was the first thing that stood out in Ryoga's mind as he stared at the intruder. Pink.

Pink hair, pink eyes.

Just...pink.

Okay granted, he had met a lot of people with odd color hair in his lives as both a human and Barian. Some more so than others. Heck ever since he first met Yuma he had found the Kattobingu obsessed boy's hair to be especially unusual; bizarrely so in fact. It was such an oddity that he wasn't even sure if it was real or not, though he had eventually come to accept it as just a normal occurrence in his life.

But...pink?

Seriously? And a rather bright pink at that.

He almost wouldn't have believed it was natural if not for the fact that the girl's own eyes were the exact same color, though that in itself was still debatable. Either way it was clear that this was probably one of the oddest colored hairs he had come across on any person within both his lifetimes, and that was saying something.

That still didn't stop him from raising his guard.

"Who the hell are you?" Ryoga all but demanded as he watched the intruder with caution.

"M-Miss Valliere? What are you doing here?" Colbert questioned, just as surprised and confused by the sudden appearance of the young noble. Said girl turned red from embarrassment at being caught.

"I-I uh, that is..." Louise stuttered as she pushed herself up from the ground, struggling to come up with an excuse that would work. She had really screwed up this time. All she was trying to do was listen in on the conversation so she could find out what she could about her new familiar, and now she had been caught in the act by not only her professor, who specifically ordered her to stay in her room until he called for her, but the headmaster too. _"Oh Brimir please don't let mother find out about this. I won't survive her wrath!"_

"You know this girl?" Ryoga questioned the two men. Osmond sighed and nodded.

"Indeed. She is one of our more...interesting, students shall we say that we have in the academy. Louise de La Valliere," Osmond introduced to the purple-haired teen. "She also happens to be the one who summoned you here to be her familiar."

At that Ryoga's eyes widened and turned his gaze back onto the pink haired female. This was the one who summoned him? The one who had somehow brought him back from the dead and given him a second chance at life? The same one he was supposed to be the servant of?

"Her?" Ryoga's disbelief flooded his voice as he looked the girl over.

She was rather short in size, around the same size as him based on what he could see, though he couldn't exactly tell who was taller between them. Her long flowing pink hair seemed to reach down her back and past her rear. Her face was round in shape and had a childish look to it, while her eyes shined with a similarly colored pink to her hair. Her body itself was rather flat but slightly curved, and she was wearing what he could only guess was the school uniform of this place, consisting of a black skirt, leg stockings, a white blouse, and some sort of black cloak wrapped around her shoulders.

Ryoga couldn't help but blink. He expected a lot of different things when he pictured the image of the person who had summoned him to be a slave. A fancy rich prick, some sleazy looking dame, hell even a tough muscle toned eccentric. Just something that defined the image of a student mage looking to get a slave as a pet, or at the very least had some appearance about them that radiated magic like Osmond and Colbert seemed to have.

This was definitely not one of those expectations.

"T-That's right!" Louise addressed Ryoga, finally standing up straight and trying to present a look of nobility and wealth about her. She pointed a finger at him and spoke with a stern voice. "I'm the one who summoned you commoner. As such you should be grateful that I, Louise de La Valliere, am willing to look past your rugged appearance and take you under the house of-"

"Miss Valliere!" Colbert suddenly interrupted, causing Louise to jump and turn towards the professor, who looked far less than pleased with her. "I thought I told you to wait back in your room until we had news for you. Why did you disobey my instructions?"

Louise felt sweat drip down her face but recomposed herself and closed her eyes as if preparing a speech. "I-It was only natural! After all this commoner is my familiar, and it is the duty of a noble to take care of their familiar as they are a representative of the noble themselves and their life partner so-"

"Oy Ojii-san, what does she mean by commoner?" Ryoga asked Osmond, tuning out Louise's little speech as he did.

Osmond sighed and rubbed his beard. He knew this subject would be brought up eventually but he had hoped to do so a little more gently. Especially seeing how the boy just responded a moment ago to the idea of being a familiar. Guess it was too late for that now though.

"Well as we explained earlier, this is an academy where we teach children of nobility how to become proper mages and use magic. The thing is not everybody is capable of using magic, and as such those without magic are referred to as commoners," Osmond explained.

Ryoga raised a brow curiously. "So what? Because I can't use magic I'm classified as a commoner? Is that bad?"

"It's not bad per say," Osmond continued, scratching his head as he tried to think of a simple way to explain without setting the boy off again. "But you see, commoners are more of a…second-class citizen shall we say? They serve and help the nobility of the land while we as nobles ensure their safety and protection. They live their lives as regular people do, but are not as privileged as many of the nobles of this land due to their lack of magical talent."

Ryoga's eyes narrowed. He didn't like the sound of that at all. It almost sounded like how several of the aristocrats he had met during his first life treated their people. They were treated badly and looked down upon because they weren't rich or wealthy, and as such many of the poorer or common folk suffered because of it. They were forced to live in slums and run down areas of the kingdoms, doing whatever they had to in order to survive, even having to resort to less than desirable methods to do so. And when even a single one of them died, not one member of the "high-class society" batted an eyelash or tear for them.

" _And according to what the old man just said, this land treats those without magic in a similar way,"_ Ryoga thought to himself, his fist clenching instinctively.

Okay granted maybe he was jumping the gun a bit as he had yet to actually see the interactions between these so-called nobles and commoners, but it still left a bad taste in his mouth to consider such a thing. When he was king back in his first human life all of his people were treated equally. Rich, poor, knights, blacksmiths, bards, whatever the case; everyone was treated with the same respect and kindness, and they all worked together to form a peaceful and kind kingdom, as he refused to allow such difference in stature to divide his people and make them feel superior to each other.

Which just brought up the fact that he once again wasn't in his own home. He didn't make the laws here or define what was and wasn't right to the people of these lands. And if he really was jumping the gun on how bad it was then acting out of line would only make things worse for him. That didn't mean he had to like any of it though, and he would make sure to keep his eyes open from now on. Especially if such events like this "familiar contract" came to light.

"A-At any rate!" Louise turned away from Colbert, who was sighing exasperatedly at finally making her stop trying convincing him, and faced Ryoga once more. "Now that my familiar is awake, I can complete the contract right?"

At that Colbert and Osmond both straightened up. They slowly looked at Ryoga, who was now glaring at the pink haired girl.

There was a saying about timing here, but right now the former Barian couldn't be bothered to remember it.

"W-Well about that Miss Louise-" Colbert began only to be interrupted by the pinkette.

"What? I can do it now right?" Louise asked curiously. "I mean it's all healed up and better now, so now is the perfect time to bind the contract with it, right?"

Ryoga's grip on his sheets tightened, something Osmond quickly noticed. He had a very bad feeling about this but didn't move to interfere, as he was curious to see what would happen between the boy and Miss Valliere.

Colbert began to sweat. "W-Well yes but-"

"And what if I don't _want_ to be your familiar?" Ryoga suddenly spoke, his tone steadily calm but with a hint of cold emotion behind it.

"Huh!?" Louise looked at him in disbelief. "Just what are you saying you commoner?"

"You heard me," Ryoga continued as he looked at the girl with hard eyes. "I heard about the way this so-called contract works, and frankly, I'm not too fond of the idea behind it. Binding someone to you as a servant for your whole life? Being forced to do whatever they say and go wherever they go? Sounds more like slavery to me."

"How dare you!" Louise bristled at the statement. "The familiar contract is a sacred and noble tradition passed down since the time of Brimir! How dare you compare it to something so wicked like slavery!"

Ryoga scoffed. "Really? Sacred and noble? I might buy that if these so-called familiars were treated with respect and care, but you've been calling me _'_ it' and _'_ commoner' since you first entered this room," his eyes locked firmly onto Louise's. "To you I'm not even a human being, am I?"

Louise moved to reply only to suddenly freeze. For some reason a familiar and dark fear crept into her heart as she stared into the blue orbs of her new familiar. As if she was nothing more than prey facing off against a much larger predator.

Her noble pride and anger quickly pushed aside such a ridiculous notion as she shot back at the boy. "Why should you be? You're just a commoner after all. Not even that, you're a familiar spirit. _My_ familiar in fact! It's your duty to serve and obey me, so why should I consider you anything else?"

"Excuse me!?" Ryoga growled, his fist clenching even tighter than before.

"Do you have any idea how honorable it is to be in the service of a noble? You should be grateful that a mere commoner like yourself would be given a chance to serve under a noble house. Such a thing isn't given out so easily you know," Louise huffed and crossed her arms. "Honestly, why couldn't I get a griffon or a dragon? They would have been much easier to tame and make listen than something like you!"

"M-Miss Louise-" Colbert began only to stop when Osmond raised his hand to halt the professor. Colbert looked at the headmaster surprised but the old man merely shook his head and motioned to keep watching.

"Well it doesn't matter now I suppose," Louise continued, brushing a strand of her to the side with a huff. "You're here now after all. And I can't redo the spell either, so I'll have to accept this situation whether I like it or not. Though if you apologize now maybe I'll still grab you something small to eat before the day is through."

The purple-haired boy lowered his head until his eyes were covered by his hair bangs, a sight that graced Louise's face with a small smile. Looks like she had finally gotten through to him just what kind of situation he was in. After all he was just a commoner and she a noble child, so it made sense she would come out the victor of this little argument.

Now all she had to do was seal the contract and teach him a lesson back at her dorm and she c-

"Fuck off."

Louise's eyes widened in shock, while Colbert and Osmond nearly jumped at how cold the boy's voice suddenly became.

"H-Huh? What did you say?" Louise questioned, her expression becoming dangerous as she did. Surely she had misheard him. After all there was no way a mere commoner would dare say-

"I said," Ryoga looked up, an icy fury blazing in his eyes. "Fuck off."

That time Louise knew her ears weren't fooling her and anger swiftly filled her face. "W-What!? You ungrateful little, how dare y-"

"Shut up!" Ryoga shouted, nearly getting up from his bed as he glared at Louise with complete rage. "Who the _fuck_ do you think you are huh? Coming in here, treating me like a damn animal, thinking you can just command me to do anything you say? Who gave you the _fucking_ right huh!?"

"How dare you!" Louise yelled right back. "I called you here to become a noble and proper familiar and this is how you treat me!? What backwaters alley did you come from to get such a disgusting mouth!? You should feel honored you commoner!"

"Stop calling me a damn commoner! I have a fucking name! Kamishiro Ryoga, get it memorized you candy-colored chibi!"

"Wha-" Louise found herself momentarily speechless at the insult. It quickly evaporated as her own rage took over and she reached for her wand. "What did you call me you stupid do-"

"Enough!" Osmond's voice suddenly shouted, the old man slamming his staff to the ground and sending a powerful shockwave echoing through the room, causing both Louise and Ryoga to stop and look at him surprised. A tense silence took the room, nobody daring to move or speak as Osmond's stern face looked between the teens. After a moment he gave a small cough into his hand and spoke. "Well then, it seems that some heads need to be cooled down to take in all that has happened today. Wouldn't you agree Mister Colbert?"

Colbert blinked at the proper pronunciation of his name before realizing he was being addressed. "Ah, y-yes Old Osmond sir."

Osmond nodded and looked at Ryoga. "This has been a very tiring start for you young man, and clearly you're still overwhelmed by everything that is happening. Since it seems you aren't exactly fond of the idea of being Miss Valliere's familiar for the moment, why don't we give you some time to settle your thoughts? I'll send for your things later and we can address the issue tomorrow, alright?"

Ryoga looked at the old man with suspicion while Louise gaped in disbelief.

"H-Headmaster! What are y-"

"And you Miss Valliere," Osmond's eyes seemed to almost snap to the noble girl, making her flinch. "It's been a very long day for you as well hasn't it? Summoning a human familiar who nearly died, disobeying the instructions of your professor, I would think one such as you must be feeling exhausted by this point, and would want to go to bed to clear your own head before something consequential happens. Wouldn't you agree?"

Louise bit her bottom lip as she bitterly glared at the boy in the bed. However she quickly pushed aside her emotions and composed herself before she did something embarrassing. "Y-Yes Headmaster."

Osmond nodded once more as his serious expression morphed right back to a carefree state. "Glad to hear it. Mister Colbert, if you would be so kind as to escort Miss Valliere to her room and then bring Mister Ryoga his things?"

"O-Of course Old Osmond, right away sir!" Colbert nodded immediately and motioned Louise to follow him. The small noble obeyed and the two silently made their way out of the medical room, though not before Louise sent one last glare towards Ryoga.

Osmond watched the two leave before releasing a quiet sigh. This was far too troublesome for someone his age to deal with. The headmaster shook his head and began making his own way to the door, only to stop when Ryoga suddenly spoke.

"Oy Ojii-san, what exactly are you up too?" The former Barian asked, suspicion filling the boy's mind. Osmond simply turned to him and smiled.

"I don't know what you mean? I'm simply an old man whose ears were hurting from all the yelling and is now looking forward to a nice quiet night. Do be sure to get some rest as well young man. We will be sure to talk more tomorrow."

With that the headmaster walked out of the room without another word. Ryoga couldn't help but keep his view on the door, as if expecting something else to happen, but after a moment of silence he sighed loudly and collapsed back onto the bed, his eyes fixing themselves on the ceiling above.

"What the hell have I gotten myself into?"

* * *

Louise furiously tossed off her cape and clothes, her teeth grinding together as she muttered angrily to herself.

"That stupid, rude, loud-mouthed, ignorant, disrespectful, GAH!"

Finally dressed in her nightgown the pinkette crashed onto her large bed as the lights in her room dimmed away, allowing the moonlight to enter through her window. Burying her face into the pillow and allowing the silence of the night to take over, Louise's anger slowly faded away as her eyes softened and expressed a mixture of sorrow and depression.

"Why...why do I always fail? Why am I such a zero?"

Louise closed her eyes as she tried to let herself fall asleep and forget the events of the day. Even still, she couldn't stop the single tear that escaped onto her face.

* * *

 **Hey guys! Good to see you again (metaphorically speaking). So here is chapter 5. Kind of the shortest chapter so far but hopefully that isn't a problem and you guys enjoyed it as well as the others.**

 **Now as I said in my previous chapter, I would start responding to any questions of suggestions that come up at the start of each new chapter. I still plan to do the answering but I realized that most people want to read the story instantly rather than wait to read it by reading this at the top. So I decided I'll just keep these segments at the bottom.**

 **Now onto the comment by The Flame of Judgement (Cool name.)**

 **The Flame of Judgement: I actually agree with the Guest, Vindalfr would be a good choice, as it could be used to hear duel spirits, as they would fall under the category of 'animal', or at least I would assume so. This could open up a lot of possibilities, or just be used for a running gag.**

 **A: While certainly an interesting idea, I do believe you just saw in this chapter that Ryoga is not exactly keen on the idea of being somebody's familiar, especially someone like Louise. Trust me when I say this is just the start of the major changes that will occur because of Ryoga. I won't spoil anything though so you'll just have to wait and see.**

 **Now then with that done I do have a bit of unfortunate news. I will be busy this week so I probably won't upload another chapter until sometime near the end of the week in order to help me stay focused. Sorry but duty calls in real as well unfortunately.**

 **I do however have some good news however. I completed the chapter I struggled with today and am now ready to continue progressing in the story, so yay!**

 **Anyways despite its' size I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Till next time.**

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	6. First Night in a New World

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

* * *

"And you're certain you don't need anything else Mister Ryoga?" The voice of the academy nurse asked, the woman watching from the doorway as the mysterious boy before her got dressed.

"I already said I'm fine," Ryoga replied back with slight frustration. He finally finished putting on the last piece of his outfit, his familiar dark purple jacket, before turning to the woman. "I have everything I need right here. You don't need to stick around any longer."

"Are you sure? You should still-"

"Look, if I need anything I'll just find someone and let them know alright? I'm not a child and I don't need a damn babysitter, so just leave already," the Duelist said a bit more fiercely than he may have liked. He got that the woman was still concerned regarding his condition not too long ago, but at this point her pestering was starting to become annoying.

The nurse hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded and bowed. "If you're sure then. May you have a pleasant night Mister Ryoga."

Once the nurse turned and left the room Ryoga let out a sigh of relief. He didn't think it was possible, but apparently the nurses in this world were even more stubborn and annoying than the ones back in Heartland City. How such a thing could come to be he didn't know, but it was a scary concept nonetheless.

Pushing away the thought, Ryoga's eyes turned back to the vacant clinic room. That old headmaster Osmond apparently decided to let him have the entire room for himself tonight to sleep in since he really had nowhere else to stay at the moment, especially when Ryoga stated he would rather end his new life long before accepting the idea of spending it in the company of that pink-colored brat from before, familiar contract be damned. The other professor, Colbert if he remembered correctly, had suggested something about the servant's quarters as a possible place to stay but the headmaster thought it better to let the Duelist have his own privacy for now considering everything that had happened. Something the former king was actually grateful for.

The sun had long set since that conversation, with the moonlight taking its' proper place in the open sky and displaying a very mellow and calm tone to the room. Ryoga always preferred the night more to the day as it just felt more natural to him for some reason, though most likely it was due to his connection with the sea. It also helped that this was the time of day when the stress and problems of the world, no matter how ridiculous or stupid, seemed to just fade away into obscurity, allowing everyone a moments rest and a peace to just forget about their troubles.

At least that was the case normally, but at the moment the former Barian's mind was in such a state of flux that he couldn't find it in himself to get even a minute's worth of sleep. His thoughts were still running through everything that happened earlier. The information he collected, the arguments he had, the knowledge that he was in another world, all of it was still trying to be processed and he couldn't get it to stop, making it impossible for him to get any moment of rest. His anger had mostly faded away since then but his frustration and confusion about the situation were still there, along with his uncertainty over what was going to happen to him next or what he was supposed to do.

Letting out a heavy sigh Ryoga steadied his emotions and turned to the mirror behind him to examine himself once more. As promised Colbert had dropped by and delivered his stuff to him, including the clothes he was wearing upon his arrival, which he was now fully dressed in. It was actually the same outfit he usually wore during his last life in Heartland, along with the Barian pendant he possessed when he took back his mantle as king of that world, which while overall felt very familiar and even a bit nice to be in, made the purple-clad boy feel very awkward since this was exactly how he looked before his life was lost in that final Duel with Yuma and Astral, which only accumulated to bringing up more unpleasant memories.

Yet as he stared into his own reflection Ryoga felt something was different. He wasn't sure why though. It wasn't the fact that he was human once again since he had already been so twice before, or the fact that he failed in his goal to save his world. He had been serious in that final Duel sure, but at the same time he was happy to know that it was Yuma who he had lost too, and he trusted the boy to do the right thing upon his death. Even if the Kattobingu obsessed Duelist was incredibly stupid and naive by nature.

But still, Ryoga felt like something had changed about him from the time he died in front of Yuma to this moment now where he was staring into his reflection. Something he couldn't quite explain, but was right in front of him at the same time.

A chuckle suddenly escaped from Ryoga's mouth. "What am I thinking?" The shark user muttered with a small smirk. Yuma influenced him too damn much, the idiot.

Shaking his head clear Ryoga broke his gaze from the mirror and directed it onto his bed, where a familiar blue Duel Disk was lying in silence.

He had been quite surprised when he saw the device in Colbert's possession, even more so when he discovered his old D-Gazer was there as well. It made no sense as to their appearance since he disposed of both devices when he regained his powers as a Barian, as he no longer needed to use the tools to Duel with or summon forth his monsters. So why were they also here, and more importantly how had they arrived in this world with him?

If that wasn't enough he also found his deck resting perfectly in its' holding slot on the Duel Disk. As if it had never even been touched or left its' home to begin with. And just like everything else so far, his surprise only continued to grow when he looked over the cards and discovered that the deck he was holding was not the same one he carried with him as Leader of the Barian Emperors. All the cards related to that life, the monsters, the magics, and the traps were gone, including all seven Over-Hundred Numbers, their Chaos forms, and King of Hope, Barian.

The knowledge of which brought great sorrow to the former king considering what those cards represented to him.

Instead the deck the Duelist now possessed was the same one he had from his human life in Heartland City. The same one that "Kamishiro Ryoga" had used and mastered before he regained his memories and life as Nasch. And just like with the Duel Disk and D-Gazer, he couldn't begin to understand how or why this deck was here rather than the one he died with, though he considered the possibility that it might have to do with him being a human again.

Still even if he speculated on the how's or why's of everything, it wouldn't matter at the moment. He was still struggling to accept everything else going on around him, and trying to figure out how this world's idea of magic and rules worked wasn't something he expected to grasp only a few hours after everything had been shoved onto his lap. Especially when he didn't even know where to start with it all.

He remembered when Osmond had shown him that map earlier and how quickly he realized that he couldn't read the language written on it. It looked familiar to some degree, like how the initial language he had heard from the two men sounded familiar, but he couldn't place it from any of his past lives and needed the help of the older men to translate what he was reading. And from what they told him it was the shared language across this "Halkeginia", meaning he couldn't even go to a library to get information from nor could he just leave and expect to travel somewhere without getting lost. Which unfortunately meant that at the moment, he was stuck in this academy until he could figure something out.

And then of course there was this whole issue about being a "familiar", something that made Ryoga clench his fist tightly.

The idea of being a slave was something the water master absolutely hated. Not just for himself but the concept in general, as he was disgusted by the idea of taking someone's freedom and choice away from them and forcing them to do whatever was asked like some animal. The idea that he was supposed to be some little brat's personal servant simply because she kidnapped him with some weird spell, pretty much defined exactly that. He didn't care for the reason nor did he care that it was something that was supposed to be a tradition of this place.

He would never allow himself to be enslaved again. He had been so once before by Tron and Don Thousand, and he refused to ever allow such a thing to happen to him again. Especially to some cocky, pink-haired, loud-mouthed, arrogant, prideful, and childish looking brat.

So to sum up everything that the purple wearing boy was feeling, the past few hours had been absolute shit, and the aftermath of taking it all in was causing his stress levels and temper to escalate far more quickly than he would have liked.

And yet...despite everything that had happened to him, amongst all the confusion, the pain, the anger, all of it; it wasn't like everything was completely terrible.

After all...

Ryoga reached up to his neck, his fingers grasping at the tiny shark toothed-shaped pendant that hugged his flesh.

"I thought I lost you forever…"

Pulling the pendant forward a black string stretched from the rope around his neck to the pendant, allowing it to move loosely in his fingers till Ryoga held it out in front of him. Moving his thumb across the surface a small click was heard as the pendant flipped upwards like a locket, to reveal a small picture inside. A picture that nearly brought the former Barian to tears.

"Tou-san…Kaa-san…" Ryoga's grip on the pendant tightened as he looked at the picture. "Rio…"

In it were four faces, all smiling as if nothing in the world would break them. One was a faded magenta-haired man with a thin mustache. Next to him was a beautiful bluish-silver haired woman. Below the man was a tiny girl with bright blue hair, ruby eyes, and a wide smile. And the final figure, of course, was the one he recognized the most. It was of a younger, happier, and more innocent version of himself. Together, the four gave off the strong image of a beautiful, loving, and happy family.

An image he had long since forgotten.

Ryoga closed his eyes and tried to steady his emotions. It was difficult though given he never thought he'd see this picture again. He had thrown the damn thing into the Sea of Ill Intent back on the Barian World when he chose to renounce his humanity and fight his friends.

It had represented his life as a human. A life that was nothing more than a lie and cover for him until he had regained his memories and became king once more. It was the last connection he had to the human world, and it was the one thing he needed to sever if he was going to commit himself fully to saving his people. So when the time had come for him forget to his former life, his memories, and his friends, he hurled the pendant as hard as he could into the crimson ocean, in hope that doing so would help ease the pain and erase the bonds he had of that life.

" _Fight…I'll fight them all! I am Nasch! I'll forget even my own friends!"_

"For the sake of the Barian World…" Ryoga whispered quietly. He could still remember the tears on his cheeks and his cry of anguish that day.

And yet, like everything else that had been lost to him that day, his pendant was here. It had returned to him. As if it had never left his side and had always been with him.

Shutting the picture closed Ryoga silently placed the pendant back to his neck just above his Barian pendant. He then let out a heavy sigh and turned his gaze towards the moonlight emitting from the window.

"I need a walk."

* * *

The night air was peaceful.

That was the first thing Ryoga noticed when he stepped out onto the grassy fields of the academy. The air had a very calm and cooling feel too it, one that he knew he could easily get used too if he ended up staying here long. A thought that still didn't sit well with him, especially when he looked above towards the night sky.

The sky that had two moons in it.

"Heh, I really am in another world huh?" Ryoga chuckled out bitterly.

The fact there were two floating orbs in the sky didn't bother him so much. He had long since become accustomed to much stranger sights both as a Duelist and a king. But the image he was looking at only served to cement the fact that he was no longer on either of his two home worlds.

He knew it was childish and foolish to think otherwise, but he still wanted to hold onto some hope, some form of doubt in his mind about everything that was going on. That maybe this was all just one big dream or a massive prank someone was trying to pull on him upon his death bed, and was waiting for him to realize so they could laugh it up like a big joke. But even he couldn't deny what he was seeing in the sky. It wasn't like the Barian sky was any better, but last he checked the Barian World didn't have a day and night cycle to it, and the human world didn't have two moons.

So yeah, if the whole unrecognizable map, the crazy magic talk, and the fact he couldn't read or recognize a damn thing didn't help to convince him that he was in another world, the two moons definitely did.

He did find it ironic though how their colors resembled the Astral and Barian worlds.

Ryoga let out another sigh as he turned and continued his walk through the open courtyard. Looking around he was quite surprised by how different everything was around him, such as the size of the academy itself. Yeah he had been told that it was a school for young noble mages, the idea of which sounded ridiculous even to him, but it was a lot bigger than any school he had ever seen before. Heck the school in Heartland had nothing on this place, as it felt more like a damn castle than an actual school, which he wouldn't have been surprised if it was such at one point.

But it wasn't just the looks of the sky or school that felt different to the Duelist. If he had to put a firm explanation on what it was, he would say that it was the entire world itself. While he had come to the conclusion about the kind of time period this world was in thanks to the information shared by Osmond and Colbert, the moment he had first awoken to this new life Ryoga could feel the difference of this world compared to his own, even if he hadn't realized it at first. This whole place, from the school, to the landscapes, to the atmosphere, hell even to the people, had felt as familiar to him as it did in his very first life. It was as if this world was still young and innocent. Still trying to grow and expand itself out to become something greater.

It actually brought a feeling of nostalgia to the former king.

Ryoga sighed. Such thoughts would only serve to remind him of memories he would rather forget, especially given his current state of mind, so he pushed the memories away and continued walking.

He came out here to try and clear his head and hopefully come up with some ideas on what to do next, but the fact remained he was still clueless. He couldn't just stay here forever, nice as the academy might appear. Not when there was a whole new world out there begging to be explored. A childish side of him actually felt excited by the concept, probably influenced by Yuma's adventurous nature.

The problem was that he had no knowledge of anything about the world itself outside of what he was told by Osmond and Colbert. Even though the men had allowed him to keep the map so he could learn more of the land, it didn't help if he couldn't read anything on it. It also didn't help that even if he managed to find a way to learn and read the language that existed here, he still didn't know where he would even go or what kind of laws existed in those places.

And that was just the tip of the iceberg.

He knew nothing about what the environment or wildlife was like, or what kinds of seasons existed and how frequently they changed. He didn't know what kind of threats were out there, human or otherwise, or where they were located in order to avoid them. He didn't know about the currency that existed or any people outside the school that could help him. And then of course the most crucial piece by far, was that he had no understanding on what kind of magic's existed in this world or how the interactions between nobles and commoners worked, though based on how the pinkette acted he was starting to get an idea of how the latter was possibly like.

And even if he knew all these answers, like where to go and what to expect, what then?

He had been given a final chance at life sure, but he didn't know what to do with it. At least back home he had either Duel Monsters when he was human or a kingdom to rule when he was a king. But here, in some unknown and strange land, could he ever find something to give himself purpose again? A reason to use this new life to its' fullest and somehow redeem himself for all the horrible deeds he had done and the lives he had taken?

"Dammit," Ryoga muttered as he turned the corner of a large tower. "Just what the heck am I supposed to d-"

 **SMACK!**

Ryoga didn't finish his sentence as he suddenly slammed into something hard and fell backwards.

"Gah!"

"Ahh!"

The Duelist landed on his back and let out a slight groan from the impact. Shaking off the brief dizziness he pushed himself up from the ground and rubbed the spot where he hit his head. "Shit. What the hell was that?"

"Ah, I'm sorry! Are you alright sir?"

Ryoga blinked and looked up to take in the sight of what he crashed into. Rather, _who_ he had crashed into. Apparently he had run into a girl, dressed up in what he could only describe as a French maid's outfit. Her short cut hair was a raven black color that seemed to come down to her neck and made her crystal blue eyes stand out as she looked at him with concern.

Ryoga had to admit that, while he had never really taken the time to look at girls as he always had bigger things to worry about, the one in front of him was quite beautiful.

"Yeah. I'm alright," Ryoga said as he pushed himself off the ground and extended a hand to the fallen maid. "What about you? Are you alright?"

The maid in question gasped a little at the sight of the hand, an act that made the Duelist a bit confused. After a few seconds though she hesitantly reached out and took Ryoga's hand allowing him to pull her up, noticing as he did that she was taller than him by at least half a foot.

"Y-Yes, I'm unharmed sir," the maid stated, quickly dusting off her outfit and bowing to the boy. "I apologize. I wasn't looking where I was going and-"

"Don't worry about it," Ryoga cut the maid off. "I wasn't exactly keeping my eyes front either after all, so no harm done."

The maid looked surprise. In all her time working here never has she heard a noble apologize to her before. Actually now that she thought of it, she's never heard a noble apologize period. It was a new experience for her that she wasn't even sure how to handle. It was then that she took a better look at him and brought a hand up to her chin in thought.

"Your outfit..." the girl muttered.

"Huh?" Ryoga tilted his head.

"Are you by any chance the commoner familiar everyone was talking about? The one summoned by Miss Valliere?"

Ryoga looked surprised. "You've heard of me?"

The maid put her hand down and nodded. "Yes, the whole school knows about it, from the first-years to the servants. That a human familiar was summoned by Miss Valliere earlier today. It was quite the surprise to everyone as we've never heard of such a thing happening before."

Ryoga let out a grunt of frustration and looked away. "I can only imagine. But to be clear I am _not_ that girl's familiar. She may have brought me here but I have no intention of serving that girl or being bound to her in any form."

"Eh?" The girl's eyes widened at the words. "W-Wait a second. Are you saying that you haven't created the contract with Miss Valliere?"

Ryoga nodded. "Yeah. Why? What do you know of it?" He asked a bit hopeful.

"Not much I'm afraid," the maid replied shaking her head. "I'm only a servant maid who works here at the academy you see. I hear gossip and conversations between the students and faculty now and then, but I'm afraid I don't know much in how their magic works."

"I see," the former king said with slight disappointment. He had hoped to get more insight into this familiar contract thing and how it worked. But then again he should have expected that getting such answers wouldn't be that easy.

"I'm sorry," the girl apologized again, having watched boy's expression and becoming worried that she somehow upset him. "I wish I could be of more help but-"

"Don't worry about it. It's not that big a deal anyways," Ryoga interrupted with a shrug of his shoulders. While only a half-truth he realized how he must have looked and sounded right now to the girl, and didn't want to give off the wrong impression to her. He was just still frustrated with everything and his emotions were rather tense, but that didn't give him the excuse to take it out on an innocent bystander.

The maid once again looked surprised by his words but nodded in acceptance. "If…if you're sure then," she said letting out a quiet sigh of relief before addressing the boy again. "Still, it is rather surprising. I've never heard of a familiar not accepting the contract before."

"That so? Well let's just say my summoner didn't exactly leave me with the best first impression," Ryoga commented, trying as he did to push aside the memory of his first meeting with the pink-haired brat.

"I see," the girl accepted with a small nod. Suddenly realization hit her as she gasped. "Ah forgive my rudeness, I haven't introduced myself yet," she bowed once more to the Duelist. "My name is Siesta. I'm a commoner like you who works here as one of the academy servant maids."

"Kamishiro Ryoga. Nice to meet you," Ryoga replied back with a bit more ease than before. He had to admit, so far this was probably the only person he had met in this crazy place that didn't bother him so much. It was rather nice given everything else that was going on in his new life.

"Kamishiro…Ryoga?" Siesta repeated slowly as she tried to pronounce the name correctly. "I've never heard of such a unique name before. It's a bit strange to say though."

Ryoga shrugged. "It's just how it is. Ryoga is actually my first name if you're confused, but if it's too much trouble for you then just call me Shark. Everyone does."

"Shark?" Siesta questioned curiously, receiving a nod from the boy. She raised a hand to her chin as she played with the thought. "Shark…Shark…" she repeated several times, as if testing the nickname out. After a moment a soft smile etched onto her face as she looked up happily. "Shark-san it is then."

Ryoga was momentarily stunned, not having expected to hear the girl speak with an honorific of all things since he didn't think such a thing would even exist in this world. But after finally recognizing something so familiar to him since awakening, the water Duelist couldn't help but laugh and give a bright smile. "Haha, yeah, just like that."

Siesta giggled as well from his change in expression, and for some reason Ryoga felt at ease hearing it.

This girl, she felt different compared to everyone else he had met since he first awoke. Not like Colbert or the old man who both had a wise and powerful aura to them, and certainly nothing like that candy-colored chibi. No, to him this maid had a gentle and innocent warmth about her that reminded him a lot of Rio was when she was little. It was the kind of warmth that could make a person smile and feel happy just by being near its' presence, even when things may have seemed bad. Maybe that was why he felt so relaxed around her even though this was his first interaction with the girl.

"Ah, that's right, I still have to head back to the kitchen," Siesta suddenly said remembering the duties she had to fulfill. She put her hands together and bowed to Ryoga again. "Please excuse me, but I'm afraid I must take my leave of you now. It was a pleasure to meet you Shark-san. I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening."

Ryoga nodded back. "Yeah, same to you Siesta. Maybe I'll see you around sometime."

"I certainly hope so," Siesta said happily, giving one last smile to Ryoga before walking past him. "Well I better go. Goodnight and take care Shark-san."

As Siesta turned and ran off Ryoga looked back at her disappearing form. How surprising. Despite his short time with the girl he had actually rather enjoyed it. Not only that but the stress and troubling thoughts he had earlier now seemed to have been silenced, as he found himself with a moment of peace that he had so desperately needed before.

Deciding to call it a night himself, Ryoga turned around and began to walk back to his new room. All the while the small smile remained on his face.

"Maybe things won't be so bad here after all."

* * *

Not far away a giant earth mole emerged out from beneath the school grounds, as it began to relate some very interesting information to a grinning blonde-haired boy.

* * *

 **I'm back! *Falls over* Gah this week...I don't wish to discuss.**

 **As promised I have uploaded the next chapter. Earlier than I expected actually but I suppose that's not a problem. I was surprised though to see just how many people have started liking and following my story. It makes me happy because I was afraid that I wasn't quite good enough or that nobody would really take interest outside a handful. But I'm happy that many people are liking it and I hope to meet everybody's expectations.**

 **Now onto the reviews and questions! This time we have three from three familiar faces. Guest (who I hope is the same person and if not welcome anyways :D), Omega Porunga, and The Flame of Judgement (who at this point I'm just gonna call FOJ. Hope you don't mind flame.)**

 **Now with the reviews.**

 **Guest: Question will the number cards appear in this?**

 **A: An interesting question seeing as the Numbers play a huge role in the Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal universe. However if you recall from my previous chapters, Ryoga was summoned upon his final duel with Yuma and Astral, during which any Numbers he had were given to Astral upon his defeat. Also from this chapter you've seen that his Over-Hundred Numbers as well as King of Hope Barian, are no longer with him. That does not mean however that the Numbers won't play a part later on in the story, but for now, not just yet.**

 **Omega Porunga:I've been keeping up with this. This is a great story so far. But does Ryoga still have his cards or are those gone?'**

 **A: First off, thank you man I appreciate the comment :D. And I believe this chapter answered your question, haha. Though as you've seen the cards he has are not from when he became Nasch, but when he was still Kamishiro Ryoga.**

 **FOJ: Hey! Thanks for bringing up my comment, I DID think about how Ryoga would act, but I mainly thought it would make for a good thing if you went down that road, or for an omake.**

 **A: No problem. And while it certainly could be used as a funny omake idea later on (of which I'm still debating what kind of craziness I can cause the poor Barian King to suffer) I can't reveal anything about the major plot or role my story will go down, though I do see your reasoning and appreciate your input, so thank you.**

 **In any case hope you guys enjoyed this new chapter. Next around the corner is the Familiar Bonding event...and we ALL know where that leads too, hehehe.**

 **I'll probably upload another chapter sometime this weekend once I finish all my work. So stay tuned!**

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	7. The Familiar Bonding Event

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

* * *

"Stay back!"

Louise's scream filled the air as she ran, her chest agonizing in pain as she struggled to catch her breath. She kept running however, knowing she was being chased again. Just like the previous night, the young noble found herself trapped in this strange world of eternal darkness and disorder, and once again was being hunted down by another demon of the shadows.

This time though it wasn't the same monster from before. It may have glowed with the same crimson light and aura as the previous one, but this one didn't wield any sort of weapon, was far larger in size and shape, and wasn't coated in the color of black.

No, this one was golden.

Least she thought it was golden. The shadows that covered the demon's form had shifted the color scheme, making it seem more of a murky mud yellow than gold. All she could make out from the shadows was that the beast's form seemed to resemble that of a massive dragon rather than the humanoid figure from last time. A dragon that possessed three long necks and heads, each one roaring ferociously into the endless abyss.

Not that appearance really mattered as it was hunting her all the same.

Louise panted heavily as she continued to try and evade the roaring monstrosity. She wasn't sure how long she had been running but she was starting to get exhausted. She could feel her body practically screaming for her to stop and rest. But she couldn't afford to stop, not while that thing was right on her tail.

 _"Why?"_ Louise thought as she tried to control her breathing. " _Why does this keep happening to me? Why am I suffering like this? Why do I keep getting chased by these demons? What did I do wrong!?"_

As Louise's thoughts ran rampant inside her mind the tri-headed dragon let out another mighty roar from behind, as the mouth of each head begin glowing in a bright light. Feeling the light form behind her Louise turned to see what was happening, only to be greeted by the sight of each head directing their aim towards her before several streams of golden energy suddenly launched from their mouths, combining into a large spiraling twister of energy that rapidly approached the tiny girl's form. Eyes wide with horror the pink-haired noble doesn't even have time to react as the attack collided with the ground just below her feet, creating a large explosion that shook the entire area and sent her flying high into the air before careening down hard onto the cold rocky surface, the impact causing a loud wail of pain to escape from her mouth.

Louise's teeth snapped tightly together, struggling to hold back the remaining scream of her voice as she shakily rolled onto her stomach, pain shooting throughout her body while her lungs felt as if they were on fire. Her mind was so tired and her emotions wracked with turmoil. She wasn't sure how much more she could take of all this. This constant running, this endless breathing, this agonizing pain, and all this consuming fear. She wasn't sure if her sanity could handle anymore.

She was in such a state of disarray that she almost didn't notice the sound of cracking below her.

Head snapping up Louise's eyes widened in horror as she once again felt the familiar sensation of the ground below her beginning to fissure and crumble apart. She ignored the cries of her body and forced herself to her feet, hoping to run before it was too late. But unfortunately, her exhaustion had finally reached its' limit as a spike of pain erupted throughout her legs, causing the pinkette to cry out and collapse to her knees, and in doing so, the surface below her caved in from the weight, breaking apart and letting gravity take control as it fell towards the dark and endless abyss.

With Louise's body following suite.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

 **SMACK!**

Only for her to land hard on her back a moment later.

"Ow…"

Louise winced in pain, her eyelids slowly twitching open to reveal her tired state. Taking in the sight of her bedroom ceiling for a moment she quickly realized what had happened and sighed before pushing herself up, rubbing the fresh bump on her head as she did.

"Not again. Just how long must these nightmares go on?" Louise asked herself as she looked over to the mirror, flinching at the sight before her. By Brimir she looked terrible. These horrid dreams were not good for her health at all and were beginning to show. Her hair was a mess, there were bags under her eyes, and her skin looked quite pale, almost as if she had seen a ghost.

Several times over.

Louise turned away from the mirror and looked down at her hands, watching as they trembled against her will. She clenched them tightly to make the shaking stop, but it did nothing to relive her mental fatigue.

These nightmares…they just wouldn't go away. Why couldn't they just leave her alone? She had been told before that repetitive dreams usually meant a sign of foresight for future events. That they could predict things that would happen in a person's life as well as what awaited them, something she held great doubts over. But even if that were true, just what kind of future could possibly exist from being constantly hunted by crimson demons?

Louise shivered and shook her head hastily. She didn't want to consider such an answer.

Locking away the horrid thoughts and deciding to get rid of her terrible looking state, the noble stood up and stretched her tired limbs before walking over to the clothing cabinet to get dressed for the new day. Just as she opened the bottom drawer and reached in to grab her uniform however she suddenly paused as her face filled with a sense of remembrance.

The memories of yesterday's events were starting to come back to her. The ritual summoning, the commoner, the confrontation at the clinic; she was starting to remember all of it. Her body began to shake again, this time however in anger as she recalled the stupid commoner's words to her and how it refused to be a familiar to her. How dare it say such a thing, and to call her a candy-colored chibi on top of that!?

Just as quickly as the anger came however it soon faded, as Louise began ignoring the negative thoughts and believing the events of yesterday to have been just another bad dream of hers. Grabbing one of her several copies of the school uniform the girl undressed from her nightwear and continued her first objective of the day. As she started putting on her shirt though she spotted something in the mirror's reflection, making her eyes widened in shock and disbelief. Snapping around to be sure she wasn't seeing things, the pink-haired girl caught sight of a large bed of hay lying on the floor beside her bed.

It wasn't the bed itself that was the problem, as she had ordered the hay a week back in preparation for her familiar's arrival, but had decided not to set it out until the day before the ritual summoning. The problem was that it was there. Untouched and resting in the same spot that her now awakened brain remembered placing it in the day before yesterday.

Yesterday…but that meant that yesterday was the day of the Springtime Familiar Summoning.

Which meant...

"I-I can't believe this," Louise stuttered, shock filtering through her emotions followed swiftly by anger. "I-It wasn't a dream. That boy, that c-c-c-commoner! To think that I w-w-would still be forced to d-d-dress myself even after having summoned a familiar, _my_ familiar! Me, a noble and daughter of the Valliere's, with a familiar who r-r-r-refuses to see me as its' master, and refuses to l-l-listen to me at all! How embarrassing!"

Louise grabbed her head in frustration and let out a very angry cry.

She was not happy.

Not one bit.

Never in the history of the academy- no, in the history of Halkeginia had a familiar been heard of to ever disobey or refuse its' master. If word spread about this event the shame would be unbearable for her and the consequences would be quite severe. It'd be worse than anything she had dealt with in the past. And she didn't even want to consider what would happen if her family were to discover about her failure.

No, she would have to keep this matter an absolute secret until she forced that familiar of hers to accept the contract and acknowledge that she was now it's' master.

"Just you wait you stupid dog," Louise muttered as she rushed to get her uniform on. Since yesterday was the Springtime Familiar Summoning that meant she had no classes today. Instead all the second-years were to take part in a bonding event held outside in the courtyard, meaning she already knew exactly what she was going to do after breakfast. She would find that familiar, force the contract on it, and this time she would make sure nothing stood in her way. "I'll be sure to teach you a proper lesson when I find you."

At that moment the people in the hallways had the instinctual feeling to flee in terror as they felt an aura of promised pain and suffering emit from the Valliere's dorm room.

* * *

"What? Familiar bonding?" Ryoga questioned curiously. This wasn't exactly how he expected his first morning in a new world to start out.

When he first awoke he had immediately believed that the events of the previous day to have all been a dream. The fact that he was alive, the fact he was trapped in some alien world, summoned to be some little brat's slave due to a magic spell, all of it. To him he had thought it had been nothing but a nightmare that was plaguing him in death.

Sadly reality was a bitch like that.

Fact remained he really was alive again, somehow, and he had been summoned to some alien world he had no knowledge of, all to be some candy-colored chibi's servant. The realization of the truth instantly brought out a sour mood in Ryoga as he recalled his first meeting with the noble brat and how she had continuously degraded and insulted him just because he was supposed to be her "familiar".

He certainly wished that part had been a dream.

It also didn't help that he was still clueless as to how this new world worked or what he was supposed to even do in it. However, the purple-colored teen quickly realized he was just slipping back into the same set of thoughts he had struggled with the previous night, and decided it wasn't worth continuously worrying over for the time being. Instead he focused on preparing himself for whatever events awaited him on his first day in the new world. Though he didn't think it would kick off with a visit to the old man's office.

Shortly after he had gotten dressed and eaten the food given to him by one of the nurses, some green-haired woman in glasses came to the room asking for him by name. Longueville was her name if he remembered correctly, and from what she told him she was the old man's secretary and had been sent to escort him to the headmaster's office to talk some more about his situation regarding being summoned.

Despite the initial surprise Ryoga had no issues with complying to the summons, as this would be a chance to hopefully get more answers and information. Though now that he was here, it seemed the old man had other ideas in mind.

"Indeed," Osmond spoke, his fingers locked together while his elbows rested on the table. "If you recall from our conversation yesterday, Professor Colbert explained how you were summoned here by Miss Valliere through a ritual performed by all the second-year students. That the ritual was designed to allow the students to find a familiar most suited for them to bond with, and would then serve them for life."

Ryoga let out a snort of disbelief. "Most suited, sure. What of it though?"

Osmond frowned at the reaction but continued. "Well seeing as you weren't exactly receptive to becoming Miss Valliere's familiar yesterday-"

"You think?"

"-as well as everything else that had unfortunately occurred, I was hoping to demonstrate how the contract between a noble and their familiar is not as mundane or harsh as Miss Valliere made it out to be," the headmaster explained, undeterred from the interruption. He then extended his right hand forward as a small white mouse suddenly crawled from beneath his sleeve and onto the man's shoulder. "This here is my own familiar, Motsognir. He has been my oldest and most dearest friend since the day I first called him to me."

Ryoga looked surprised. "A mouse?"

He certainly didn't expect that. A mouse was this old man's familiar? When he had been told about familiars and how they served nobles he was expecting them to be large looking creatures or animals, able to do many menial task and duties befitting a servant or maid, like that Siesta girl.

He didn't expect that the guy in charge of the academy would have a mouse of all things as a familiar.

"Size or ability does not matter when it comes to summoning a familiar," Osmond explained with a smile. He reached over and scratched Motsognir behind the ears, the mouse giving a pleased squeak at the sensation. "A summoner does not choose who their familiar will be, because the spell chooses a familiar based on not just the noble's magic or personality, but their heart and soul as well. They are a lifetime friend first and a servant second, despite how some make it out to be. They are our eyes and ears as well as our partners, and they are just as important to us as we are to them."

Ryoga stayed silent but listened carefully to the words the old man was spouting. The way he spoke along with the way he treated the mouse, it was as if Osmond really did seem to consider the little guy his friend rather than a servant. Maybe it was due to age since from the sounds of it the little rodent had been with the old man for a very long time, which was surprising given mice didn't live that long to begin with. But all the same the Duelist could tell that the duo had a strong bond to one another. It almost felt like the bond he had with his cards, or that Yuma had with his Number.

"It also helps when you have a partner who can peek up female skirts," Osmond then whispered to Ryoga with a perverse tone and gleam in his eyes.

That expression was quickly cut off by a large tome being hurled into the man's head, sending him sprawling out of his chair and onto the floor.

"Keep your perverted comments to yourself Old Osmond or I really will report you!" A female voice shouted out angrily.

Ryoga's expression shifted from curious to deadpanned as he watched the idiotic actions play out before him. _"Or maybe he really is just an old geezer."_

The weapon in question had been thrown by Miss Longueville, who had been at the other side of the room taking care of stacks of paperwork until she, somehow, heard the words spoken by Osmond. It had unfortunately reminded her of all the times the elder mage had gotten his familiar to sneak into her panties and then report them back so he could satisfy his wrinkly old mind. As such she only felt it right to disciple the old pervert before he developed any more thoughts of another attempt on her chastity.

While the green-haired secretary straightened herself out and returned to her seat, Ryoga rubbed his forehead to try and stop the growing headache he could feel approaching. He should have known something like this would happen. It was too good to be true. Hell after everything he's experienced back in Heartland, it was practically a given that something stupid or comedic was bound to occur.

Didn't seem to matter what universe or world you were in. They were all full of idiots just waiting to become somebody's punchline.

Poor fools.

"S-So painful. That you would try and end the life of an elder like me before his time Miss Longueville," Osmond uttered weakly, laying on the ground with a seemingly broken back and waving his hand around for help. The former king could see through the façade though and wouldn't have any of it.

"I'm not here to play games old man. You called me here for a reason so spill before I walk out the doors," Ryoga's expression hardened. "What exactly does your speech about familiars have to do with me and my situation?"

Osmond sighed and dropped the act as he stood back up and retook his seat. "Well you see, today the classes for all second-year students have been canceled in order to allow them the opportunity to build a relationship with their new familiars. After all despite the bond already being there from the ritual, a noble and familiar can only grow stronger together if they truly understand one another. And seeing as how you weren't exactly given the best first impression about how the contract between a familiar and their master works-" Ryoga gave another snort. "-I only thought it would be best if you were allowed to judge for yourself on whether it is as bad as you believe it to."

The Duelist raised a curious brow at the offer. "Oh? Is that so?"

"Indeed," Osmond nodded. "Given your rather... _unique_ circumstance in being brought here against your will, I figured you would like the chance to go out and observe the interactions between the students and their new familiars. This way you can hopefully better understand the reason you were brought here, as well as answer any concerns you may have had. And personally, it would bring me great ease in knowing that your initial thoughts of the situation were not solidified by the incident that occurred yesterday."

Ryoga's eyes narrowed in thought as he considered the man's words. It was true that the events of yesterday didn't exactly start off well for either side, and that he had acted a lot more emotionally then he would have liked. Granted at the time he was still trying to take in everything that happened to him, but his interaction with the pink-haired tiger didn't exactly help to ease him into what was occurring.

Being given the chance to watch the interactions between these so-called nobles and their familiars wouldn't change his mind right away, but it would be a good start to learning more about this so-called contract and how it worked. Plus if what the old man said was true, then maybe not all the students here were like the chibi demon. Maybe some actually did care for their familiars. It was that possibility though that brought up one point to the former king that he needed to address.

"And I suppose it wouldn't be a bad thing for you either if I started reconsidering making the contract with 'Miss Valliere', would it?" Ryoga said, sounding more of an accusing statement than a question.

"I will not confirm nor deny such a thing," Osmond responded nonchalantly, though his eyes seemed to tell a different story.

Ryoga let out a grunt of annoyance. He figured the old man had a second motive behind this. While it seemed that Osmond wouldn't try to force the Duelist into accepting the fact he had been summoned to be that Valliere brat's familiar, that didn't mean the headmaster wasn't going to keep pushing the idea out there for whatever reasons he had. Ryoga knew this game all too well and wasn't going to let himself fall into it again.

Still...

"So, where exactly is this so-called 'bonding event' supposed to take place?"

* * *

" _Where is he!?"_ Louise mentally screamed as she stormed down the halls with gritted teeth.

Having finished her breakfast as fast as possible the pinkette had immediately bolted to the medical wing afterwards to ensure she got to her familiar as soon as possible. However when she arrived she quickly discovered that her familiar was gone and that none of the staff or servants seemed to know where it was, which only served to worsen her mood as several scenarios began playing in her mind.

Had it run away? Had it left the academy during the dead of night without anybody noticing? Had it somehow found someone else to serve? Those thoughts instilled both fear and fury into the pink-eyed girl as she considered the repercussions of such actions from her familiar.

Since then she had been frantically searching the entire academy for the commoner, leaving no room or corridor she could find untouched. But now it had been at least two hours since she started and still there was no sign of the foul-mouthed commoner anywhere.

"Stupid familiar can't hold still, just like a damn dog," Louise muttered as she turned down another hall corridor.

"Oh? Sounds like somebody lost their pet."

Louise froze in step and felt her fist clench tightly. Turning towards the voice she saw that it came from none other than her dammed rival Kirche Zerbst, who looked at Louise with a cocky smile while standing beside her brand-new salamander familiar.

 _"Why couldn't I have gotten something that cool or obedient!?"_ Louise thought jealously while glaring at the redhead. "What do you want Zerbst?"

Kirche simply smiled and crossed her arms over her impressive chest, gaining a further irritated look from Louise. "Oh nothing much. I was just curious you see. You all but stormed out of the dining hall after breakfast and I couldn't help but wonder why. As it looks though, it seems that s _omebody_ has managed to lose their familiar, wouldn't you say?"

The dark-skinned girl's smirk caused Louise to grit her teeth harder, attempting every so hard to hold back her temper. "O-Of course not! I just misplaced it is all."

Kirche chuckled as she gave off a seductive smile. She truly did enjoy teasing the little washboard. "You know, I'm still not entirely sure you really did summon that familiar. Maybe you were just so desperate you decided to grab some random commoner on the street and paid him to act the part, though I'm still not sure if nearly killing the poor boy was part of the plan or not."

Minor guilt filled Louise's chest but she immediately shoved it down. "That's not true! I performed the ritual correctly and my familiar did appear!" She stated proudly, only to then hang her head and mutter. "Even if it wasn't what I wanted."

The Germanian laughed again, brushing her crimson hair over her shoulder. "Well either way I suppose it's a suiting match for you. A failure of a familiar for a failure of a noble, eh Zero Louise?"

With that Kirche turned away and walked off with her familiar, her laughter filling the hallways while her salamander seemed to be doing its' own reptilian version of a laugh. All the while Louise's body shook furiously as she glared at the back of her rival.

"That Zerbst!" The pinkette growled out.

She would show her. She would show everyone that she wasn't a zero anymore and had in fact summoned a proper familiar for herself and proven she was a true mage.

Just as soon as she FOUND THE DAMN THING!

* * *

"Achoo!" Ryoga sneezed. "Weird. Didn't know I was allergic to anything," he muttered brushing his nose surprised.

Then again considering the variety of creatures around he wouldn't be surprised if he was somehow allergic to one of them.

Unlike last night where the courtyards were silent and empty, today they were filled noise and action. Tables and chairs were scattered all around as dozens of second year students were seen chatting away, while the servants walked around them to serve various foods and drinks. And of course, right beside each student was their own familiar, ranging from sizes to species to just…things.

Seriously, Ryoga could have sworn some of these creatures resembled Duel Monsters he had seen in the past. Sure there was the occasional regular looking familiar, like a cat here or a bird there. But there were some seriously odd ones around too. Some resembled dog-sized amoebas, others were giant floating eyes, and some that even looked like miniature-sized dragons.

Heck he was pretty sure he actually _did_ see a dragon fly by not long ago.

Overall his estimation of what exactly a familiar could be had been blown through the water. The only reason he wasn't more surprised was that compared to most of the stuff he had seen back in his world and through Duel Monsters, these creatures were relatively normal to someone like him.

How odd was that?

Pushing that aside though Ryoga continued to take note of how each creature was being treated and how each noble interacted with them. Much to his surprise he didn't see a lot of the same attitude, if any, from these nobles that the chibi had displayed to him yesterday. While some were having their familiars fetch food or whatever, it wasn't in a cruel or demanding way. They spoke with a soft and kind voice to their familiars and happily praised them when the task was done. They acted more like they had a loving pet they had known for years rather than a servant.

He was even more surprised at how many were communicating and striking conversations with their familiars. Whether it was on the ground together or sitting at a random table, these nobles spoke to their familiars as if not even seeing them as animals at all, but as a regular person. Heck the familiars seemed to be communicating back through their own noises they made, making Ryoga wonder if the nobles were somehow able to understand their familiar's way of communication like he could Duel Spirits.

Regardless it seemed part of what that Old Osmond guy told him was true, much to his disbelief. The nobles here really did seem to care for their familiars a great deal. Sure, it was only the first day so their reactions could change over time, but as it was now Ryoga had to admit he was rather surprised at the fair treatment the familiars had with their masters. He still wasn't fond of the idea at all, but he did admit he could at least look at it with a slightly calmer view. Not that it would change his view of accepting such a pact, obviously.

"Figures though that I would end up with the black sheep of the lot," Ryoga muttered as he turned his gaze forward and continued his exploration.

Only to find himself suddenly staring into a large purple floating eye.

"GAH!" Ryoga shouted, jumping back surprised.

"AHH!"

Another cry rang out from behind the Duelist as he felt himself slam into someone.

Ryoga quickly turned around to apologize. "Ah sorry about that I wasn't-" he stopped mid-sentence when he recognized the face of the person he ran into. "Wait. You're…Siesta right?"

The servant maid looked up at the sound of her name before a smile made its' way onto her face. "Ah, Shark-san! I didn't expect to see you again so soon."

"Same," Ryoga nodded with a slight smile. "Ah, sorry about running into like that. Just got a bit surprised was all and jumped back without thinking," he turned to look back at the floating eye familiar that spooked him. It blinked once and floated away. "Sheesh, this place is weird," he shook his head before giving a light smirk to Siesta. "Though I guess this is going to become a common occurrence for our meetings, huh?"

The maid giggled only for her face to suddenly fill with worry. "Oh no!"

Turning around and kneeling to the ground Siesta felt panic grow inside her at the sight. Confused by her actions Ryoga leaned over her shoulder to see what had gotten her so flustered and saw what looked to be a bunch of pastries and desserts scattered all over the ground.

Realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

"Shit, I did that didn't I?" Ryoga muttered, a small weight of guilt hitting him as he knelled down next to the maid, who was trying to collect all the defiled food and put them back on the silver tray she dropped.

"D-Don't worry about it. It was an accident after all," Siesta replied as she reached for another piece, only for another hand to suddenly touch hers, causing her to jump back surprised.

"Ah, sorry," Ryoga apologized pulling his hand back. Siesta looked over and was surprised to see the purple-haired boy picking up the food as well.

"Shark-san what are you-"

"I'm helping. I made you drop these after all, and I'm not one to not take responsibility for my mistakes," Ryoga told with a rather serious tone as he continued gathering the food.

Siesta looked surprised by his words. She didn't expect such a statement nor aid from someone she had only just met the previous night. She didn't complain though and focused back to the task at hand to help with the cleanup. After a few moments all the food was placed back on the servant's tray, allowing the two to stand back up and face each other proper.

"There, that should be all of it," Ryoga said, quickly glancing around to make sure they hadn't missed anything.

Siesta nodded and bowed to the purple-haired boy. "Indeed. Thank you again for the help Shark-san. Sadly though it looks like the desserts are already unsalvageable."

"Yeah, sorry again for that. I should have been more aware of my surroundings," Ryoga scratched the back of his head, a bit embarrassed at being distracted again.

"You don't have to apologize Shark-san. I was just as careless myself," Siesta said with a light smile. She then gave a curious look to the purple-colored boy. "Though I'm surprised to see you here Shark-san. I thought you said you weren't a familiar?"

Ryoga grunted. "I'm not, I just came out here to see what all the commotion between these familiars and nobles was about, seeing as I was brought here for that reason."

"I see," Siesta nodded in understanding. "I wish I could help you in that regard, but sadly as I said last night I don't know much about it either. Still I hope you're at least enjoying yourself here Shark-san."

"Not really. I've never been one for large crowded areas, and I'm not exactly in the mood to try speaking with these 'nobles' anytime soon. Especially considering how badly I stick out compared to everyone," Ryoga said a bit irritated. A thought then crossed his mind as he looked over Siesta, the maid turning a bit flustered by the sudden and strange gaze. After a few moments of quick thinking he mentally nodded and spoke again. "Actually, it'd be nice to have at least one familiar face around while I'm out here. Want to hang out?"

"Huh?" Siesta blinked. The former king could see the surprise and confusion on her face and simply shrugged his shoulders.

"Like I said, it'd be better to be around at least one familiar face than a bunch of faces I don't know. And seeing as you're the only other person out here that I've met, I'd rather stick with you than a bunch of bratty students. That's not a problem is it?"

Siesta found herself speechless for a moment. Long as she could remember working here nobody outside the servant staff had ever offered to accompany her or offer to "hang out" before. So to hear it suddenly from someone she had just met left the maid quite baffled.

Realizing the boy wanted an answer Siesta quickly replied. "N-No, of course not. I wouldn't mind accompanying you either, but I'm afraid I can't right now Shark-san. I'm currently working at the moment and am quite busy with everything going on today. This is my job as a servant of the academy after all, and even if I wanted to, I couldn't just leave the others to handle everything by themselves," she explained, a light frown crossing her face as she bowed to Ryoga. "I'm terribly sorry but I'm afraid I must decline your offer to join you. But maybe after I'm done with work and everything settles down, we can meet up and continue our conversation from last night?"

Ryoga nodded. "I understand, and I wouldn't mind continuing either, but I think you misunderstood me. I wasn't asking you to stop working and join me, I was asking if I could join you and assist in your work."

…What?

Siesta blinked for a moment, as if unsure if the words she just heard were a figment of her imagination from working too hard. However after a few seconds of processing the raven-haired beauty realized that those were indeed the words spoken to her by the boy, and responded appropriately.

"E-Eh!?"

Siesta looked at Ryoga with utter shock and disbelief. Did she really hear that right? Surely she must have misheard the words coming out of the purple-colored boy's mouth. After all she had been surprised by his earlier request and combined with her tired work state, it would make sense that she would be hearing things.

But as she looked into the gaze of the ocean-blue eyes before her, Siesta could tell that she hadn't misheard the words spoken by the strange boy at all, which only served to confuse her further.

"J-Just what are you saying Shark-san?" The maid stammered out, trying to make sense as to what was happening.

"I already said it before didn't I? I take responsibility for my mistakes," the former Barian said looking at the tray in Siesta's hands. "These treats are for the nobles around here right? I've been seeing them eat similar food all morning and watching the other servants carrying them around like you, meaning you were delivering this stuff to them before I ran into you. So since I'm partly responsible for your trouble, why don't I help you out?"

"B-But that's…I-I mean you don't need too, really it's fine," Siesta tried arguing. "It's my job to handle such things after all. A-And as I said, it was my fault I dropped them, not yours. Besides you aren't a part of the academy staff, s-so you shouldn't have to-"

"So what?"

The sudden and firm shift in tone caused Siesta to stop and look at Ryoga wide-eyed.

"What does it matter if I'm part of your staff or not? I made the mistake, so now I'm making up for it," Ryoga's expression softened a bit. "I don't care if it's part of your job and something only a servant is supposed to do, that doesn't matter to me. I'm not some guy who will just stand by and ignore the consequences of something I helped caused. You can claim it wasn't my fault all you want, but the fact remains that I was still careless in not watching my surroundings, and because of that I caused you unnecessary trouble. The least I can do to make up for it is lend you a hand with your deliveries and whatever else you're supposed to be doing today," the Duelist chuckled a bit, his lips curling into a smirk. "So you can stand here and try to argue with me all day if you wish, but you won't change my mind on the matter. I'm doing this, whether you like it or not."

Silence filled the air between the two as Siesta stared at Ryoga dumbfounded while he simply waited for her response.

In truth he really didn't want to do this. It wasn't the idea of work that was the problem, as he had no issues with helping out the academy maid with some manual labor, rather the issue lied in one particular aspect that he wasn't exactly fond of getting to know.

Interacting with these so-called "nobles".

Sure they seemed to treat their familiars well enough, but that was entirely different from how someone treats another person. He still recalled the words of Osmond about how those without magic were treated as a lower-class society. He had seen such interactions between the high and low classes from other kingdoms in his first life, and the memories of watching how the nobles of those times treated those below them left a feeling of anger and disgust in the Duelist. And judging from how the pink demon had treated him last night because he was a "commoner", he didn't exactly have high hopes for how these other mages would treat him.

Still, as he said he took responsibility for his actions. He had done a lot of horrible things in the past and was never proud of any of them, but he never ran away from his sins. He always accepted whatever consequences came his way no matter how harsh they were, and that wasn't about to change just because he was in a new world. Sure this wasn't nearly on the same scale as betrayal or murder, but he still caused Siesta problems for her job, so he'd at least do what he could to make up for it.

Even if it meant having to deal with a bunch of whiny stuck up and spoiled brats.

Joy.

While Ryoga waited for an answer Siesta's mind was contemplating the boy before her.

It was strange. That was the best word she could come up with for how she felt right now. The way he spoke, the way he acted, it was as if Shark-san truly believed every word he was saying to her, and had just as much equal confidence in them.

Outside of her hometown she had never met anyone who offered to help her to such a degree before. Even her co-workers, while nice and had treated her well, barley had any time themselves to lend her aid when she needed it. Even her boss, the nicest man she had met outside her village, was usually swamped with how much food he had to cook for the students and staff, and never had the time to assist her or the others out. It wasn't their fault after all, but it showed how hard it was to get any assistance or aid while working as a maid in the academy.

And yet this boy, who she met less than twelve hours ago, was offering just that to her. He wasn't a noble nor a familiar, but he wasn't a servant either and had no obligation or reasoning to do such a thing for her, someone who could be considered a complete stranger to him. And despite her telling him several times that he wasn't responsible for what happened, he still disagreed and showed such a desire to make up for the accident. To a normal person, especially a noble, they would just wave the event off and walk away without so much as an apology.

But here he was, saying he wanted to help her out and use the opportunity to spend time with her, all without asking for anything in return or having any sort of hesitation in his eyes.

And for some reason, that action caused a warm feeling to crawl into Siesta's chest as she smiled softly at the Duelist.

"Shark-san…"

Ryoga blinked as he looked at the blue-eyed maid, confused by her sudden smile.

"What? What's with the weird look?"

* * *

 **My mind hurts...*walks in rubbing head***

 **Hi guys! I'm back with another chapter. And allow me to just say...I'm sorry! *bows* I know I said it would be up by the end of the weekend, but this chapter was just an absolute pain!**

 **I had it written out and everything, and then as I reread it I felt like something more could be done, so I continued to add more. And then found some parts that felt they could be rewritten better. And then another, and another, and another, and...**

 **This chapter was so mean to me. Heck I'm still not sure if it's good enough for a lot of you guys, but I hope you enjoy it despite the struggle I went through it.**

 **I do have some good news though. This upcoming week I have completely off! YAY! :D**

 **Which means I can work on writing more chapters and hopefully get another one one up next week, maybe even two if I'm lucky and in the mood. So look forward to it guys!**

 **Now onto the reviews, and I got to say...I cracked up seeing the common reaction to chapter 6. So I will be answering the main consensus from FOJ (who I wish luck in his Yu-Gi-Oh! story idea), Guest, and dustrider (welcome by the way!), and then respond to Sekishiki's (welcome as well) pieces one by one.**

 **Answer to the first three: The general consensus is...yes Guiche is bound to do something stupid. What kind of stupid? Oh you'll see soon enough, haha.**

 **Answer to Sekishiki: Well I thank you for your opinions on the choice of Ryoga as a character and his interactions so far. While it's true having the Numbers could be fun, remember that they're all currently in possession of Astral after the Barian's final duel with him and Yuma. As I said though in a previous post-story commentary, the Numbers might make a major appearance later on, so who knows.**

 **Also I'm glad you like the change of Ryoga refusing to become a familiar. That was one major thing I figured would happen as the guy has already been used and bound twice before in the Zexal series against his will, and because of this I doubt he'd ever allow such a thing to happen again. And while it may seem a bit cruel to Louise, there is a reason for this since she and Ryoga are more alike than they think, so it's bound to cause some interesting interactions between them.**

 **And finally don't forget that Ryoga has been reborn as a human so no Barian form. Though makes you wonder about my story cover doesn't it?**

 **Well that's all there is. Next chapter will probably take a few days since I still got some work to do before I'm off for the week. Stay tuned until then and have a pleasant day everyone.**

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	8. Katie

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

* * *

"And you're sure you want to help? I mean we certainly could use the extra hands considering we have both the nobles and their new familiars to take care of today, but-"

"I already said I would several times now! Are you going to keep wasting our time going back and forth on this, or are you gonna give me a damn tray so we can move on already?" Ryoga's frustration could be easily heard in his words. He swore if he had to repeat himself once more than someone was going to get hurt!

"S-Shark-san, you really should watch what you say. He is my boss after all," Siesta said softly in hopes of calming down the purple-colored boy. It seemed to have some effect as Ryoga looked back at Siesta and felt his temper settle slightly at the sight of her pleading face, though that didn't stop him from giving off a low grunt of annoyance.

He was really starting to reconsider his offer of helping out.

Not long after accepting his offer Siesta took him to the kitchen she worked at and called for her boss, the head chef of the academy named Marteau. After explaining the situation however it seemed the older man was suspicious of Ryoga's actions and motive, which was understandable given the Duelist's recent appearance in the school as well as his reputation as that pink-haired demon's "familiar". That didn't mean Ryoga had to like it though, especially when he had now wasted ten damn minutes of his life trying to convince the guy that he just wanted to help out and nothing else.

This was why he always let Yuma take the lead when it came to helping others. The boy was an idiot, but he was too damn bright and persuasive to say no to.

While these thoughts were going on Siesta stood next to Ryoga's side nervously as she looked back and forth between her boss and the boy she had met not more than twenty-four hours ago. She was still surprised by the fact that Shark-san offered to help her with the delivery of sweets, but she was just as glad all the same. It gave her and the rest of the staff an extra hand that they desperately needed today of all days, and allowed her to spend more time with the mysterious new addition to the school. A thought that brought another strange but warm feeling to the maiden's chest.

Yet now she was worried that Shark-san's words and attitude might leave a bad first impression on her boss. Marteau-san was a kind man, and while he was a bit rugged and tough at times he had helped to ease her into this job and make her feel welcome like a member of the family. Add in how dedicated and experienced he was in his work as well as leading the other workers at the academy, and the maid found a great respect for her boss and fellow commoner.

As it stood now though Siesta wasn't sure how Marteau-san would take to the personality of the purple-haired boy, and was scared that it might lead to a conflict between them. And much to her own surprise, she wasn't sure who she would side with.

As for the man in question, Marteau kept his arms firmly crossed against his chest as he continued to analyze the boy before him with curiosity and concern.

When Siesta said she had brought someone who wanted to help with the distribution of desserts the chef had been surprised and a bit skeptical. After all everybody who worked the kitchen and serving staff were already occupied with handling the events of the day, especially with the second years and their new familiars. And it would be a long cold day before any of the students decided to get their own hands dirty with actual labor. So who would possibly have the spare time to offer aid to a bunch of commoners in a place full of nobles?

Well he certainly didn't expect it to be the human familiar everyone kept talking about.

The boy, Shark as Siesta kept calling him, had apparently offered to lend a hand as a way of making up for his accident with Siesta's tray. It actually wasn't that uncommon for a tray of food to be lost now and then when working at an academy of nobles, especially with all those strange familiars wandering about the school, so Marteau didn't hold it against Siesta. If anything, he was more surprised by the fact that somebody, a noble's familiar at that, offered to aid a bunch of commoners like them without asking for anything in return.

Now Marteau wasn't a picky man per say. He certainly liked the idea of an extra hand around to help out when they were so busy, especially a non-paid one at that. But there was something about the boy in front of him that he just couldn't figure out. It wasn't that fact that the kid was a familiar or that he had a rough attitude, as Marteau had dealt with much worse personalities in the past from other nobles, nor did it have anything to do with the boy's appearance, though even the chef would admit the clothing was certainly odd looking even for a commoner.

No, what stood out to him was the stance.

To many this may seem like an odd thing to pick out, but for Marteau it was how he could judge a person. The way they held and presented themselves, the way they moved around, the way they stood, spoke, or even their state of dress. It could tell a lot without the individual realizing. It was a way of being able to know somebody without really knowing them at all. And after having served many nobles in his life, the academy chef had become an expert at reading a person's stance and being able to see what kind of person they were just from a glance.

Which is why the stance the boy had before him was so strange.

It was a stance he knew well, as he had seen it several times by the handful of men and nobles he had previously served. It wasn't the regular stance that most nobles emitted though, ones that were filled with pride or stubbornness, or simply used as a means to show off how superior they were to others.

No, the stance he saw on the boy was the stance of a person who has seen much of the world. Someone who has lived a long life and has been changed by everything they have experienced. It was the stance of someone whose wisdom and views on life and its' purpose was vastly different from others, and didn't seem to care how others thought of it or them, but fought for their beliefs and desires without hesitation or question.

Very few people ever actually had this stance to them, but when they did, they were usually someone that Marteau could find great respect for, even if that person was a noble. Like the headmaster or that bald professor guy, Colbert he believed the name was. Despite how well they hid it he could tell through their stances that they have seen much in their lives and have become molded because of it, whether through ill means or not, and that those experiences turned them into the honorable men they were now, as well as two of the few nobles he could give his respect to.

So why then did a boy who looked no older than fifteen have such a stance on him?

"Well?" Ryoga spoke up again, having become rather impatient by the silent staring. "What's your answer oji-san?"

Marteau blinked as his trail of thought was broken and he realized what he was doing. The chef quickly shook his head clear of the silly ideas he had about the boy and chuckled to himself. Just what was he thinking? I mean a kid who looked even younger then Siesta having the same sort of life changing experience as someone like the headmaster? He had been working at the oven too much again.

Focusing back on the event at hand the chef placed his hand on his chin and reconsidered the boy's offer. After a few moments of silence, in which Siesta silently prayed and Ryoga kept a firm gaze, Marteau finally nodded and grinned. "Well if you're this sure about it, then why not? I certainly won't say no to a free hand. And if Siesta vouches for you then you certainly did something right to impress her. Let's just hope you have the strength to back up those words boy," he turned to one of the other cooks and called out to them. "Oy Marco, get two more trays of desserts out asap! We got an extra hand on deck."

Siesta let out a quiet cheer and smiled happily while Ryoga sighed in relief.

"About damn time."

* * *

"This is ridiculous," Louise sighed heavily, head plopping down on the wooden table before her. "Where in Brimir's name is that damn familiar?"

She had been searching for several hours now and had not seen hide nor hair of her familiar anywhere. It was damn good at hiding that was for sure. But now she was starting to get tired and frustrated, as well as a bit hungry, and so the young noble decided to take a short lunch break before resuming her search. It didn't help with her current mood though as Louise let out another sigh.

What a horrid day this was turning out to be. First the nightmare that had ruined her sleep, then the remembrance of yesterday's horrible conclusion, then that stupid Zerbst, and now all this running around and searching for a familiar she really didn't want but had to unfortunately have. It was just too much too much for the girl to handle in a single morning.

Hearing the commotion around her Louise lifted her head up lightly and found her gaze being drawn to the sight of the other nobles and their familiars bonding and having a pleasant time. A small grumble escaped her lips as watched them in envy.

 _"Look at them all. Acting so happy and carefree like that. Showing off their familiars without a second thought,"_ Louise thought to herself. _"Why am I the only one here who is suffering? Why must I waste my day searching for some stupid disobedient dog while everyone else is having fun?"_

Louise could tell her jealousy was getting to her, but she couldn't help to keep it down given everything that had happened. Weeks, months even she had been planning for the day she would finally get her own familiar. The day where she would finally show that she was just like everyone else in the academy and prove that she could use magic just as well as the rest of them. She had dreamed of all kinds of creatures she could get. A dragon, a griffon, a salamander, a bugbear, heck she would have been happy getting a regular old dog, or even a toad. Just anything to shut up the laughter and insults thrown at her and prove her worth to herself and her family name.

Instead, what she got was a commoner.

A Brimir-forbidden commoner!

Not only that, but it was a rude, disrespectful, and foul-mouthed commoner to boot. Of course while the idea of having a commoner of all things was far from satisfactory, as well as completely unexpected, she had no choice but to accept the fact that it was her familiar now and that she had to make the contract with it. But not only has she not managed to complete the contract yet, adding yet another failure to her continuously growing record, but now the familiar had gone off to Brimir knows where, making the task even more difficult than it already was.

Louise felt her anger rising again as she thought about the infuriating commoner, but the emotion quickly faded just as it came, and was replaced by another feeling instead.

Doubt.

She didn't show it outwardly, but inside the pinkette was beginning to lose faith in herself. She had always ignored the gripes and insults thrown by everyone because she always believed that somewhere deep down she had the potential to be better than any of them. She was a Valliere after all, and as such she was part of a lineage of strong and powerful nobles, so clearly she was meant to be just as great right?

But every time she tried, she failed. Over and over again she failed at everything she attempted to do, and this time it was even worse because she had failed with her own familiar. If word got out about the contract not being completed and her familiar rejecting her, she'd become more than just a simple laughing stock. Her name and pride would be all but destroyed, and her title as Zero would pale compared to whatever aftermaths would form from such a revelation. Of course she had no intention of letting anybody find out about this little "setback", but the idea of what would happen if it was let loose still terrified her, even if she would completely deny feeling such fear.

Yet another sigh escaped Louise's lips as she closed her eyes to try and ease the growing migraine. She was thinking too much again. Right now all she wanted was to do was rest and eat for a bit so that she could get back to hunting her familiar as soon as possible.

She just hoped that the commoner wasn't doing anything stupid to get her in trouble.

* * *

"Here you go sir," Siesta said as she handed over another dessert happily to the noble before her. After being waved off for her services the maid bowed respectfully and walked off, letting out a quiet sigh as she did.

She was starting to feel exhausted. It was hard enough to serve nobles on a regular basis, but when they had their familiars to feed, each with their own size and specific needs, it just added to the workload. She knew it would be a few days before things settled down and became easier to deal with, but the way she was feeling now made her wish time would move faster.

Still it wasn't all bad. The nobles were acting a lot nicer now that they had their new familiars, and outside of the little run-in with Shark-san earlier no other incidents had occurred. Overall the day was actually pretty decent.

 _"I wonder how Shark-san is doing?"_ Siesta pondered, taking a moment to look around the courtyard. There was no sign of the purple teen to be found anywhere. _"I hope he's alright and handling things well. Maybe I should have stuck with him after all."_

The two had split up a while ago in order to cover more ground but already she was starting to miss the mysterious boy's company, as well as slightly worry for him. She had to admit when she first heard a human familiar had been summoned she didn't expect it to be somebody like Shark-san. Despite him appearing younger than her he seemed very mature and intelligent for his age, if a bit direct and stern when he spoke with people. He even treated her like a regular person rather than just another maid or servant around the campus, to which she found great relief in despite the initial shock it brought her.

She was also surprised with the knowledge that he hadn't fulfilled the contract with Miss Valliere yet. Even with her lack of magical insight she knew the contract was the way a familiar was bound to their mage, making the two almost like partners in a way. Yet Shark-san had not done so, as well as appeared to not even consider the idea despite it being a great honor to serve such a noble house like the Valliere's. It made her all the more curious about the young boy and want to talk to him more like she had last night.

Still despite her interest Siesta couldn't help but be concerned. Shark-san said he'd never done anything like delivering treats and cakes before, though he didn't seem to think it would be that difficult. And while she had explained the basics of the job and its' requirements she was worried that something might happen to him. After all he acted like no other commoner she'd ever met before, and didn't seem to have much of a positive outlook on the nobles here, though to be fair that wasn't exactly uncommon for the servants. But it could still be a problem if he let his temper get to him and angered the wrong noble. Some students weren't as forgiving as others, and could be quite vindictive if they felt slighted in even the tiniest way.

Still Shark-san was rather confident he could handle the task without issue. And he had promised her that he wouldn't cause any sort of trouble.

"I'm probably just worrying over nothing," Siesta reassured herself, her worries fading away with a smile. "I bet Shark-san has already managed to impress and serve many of the nobles by now. He's probably not even bothered by any of this one bit."

* * *

"I swear if one more noble calls me a damn commoner or tries to order me around again I'm shoving this cake down their throat," Ryoga muttered quietly, his eye seemingly twitching in aggravation.

He had spent the better part of the last hour or so helping to deliver the pastries given by the kitchen staff, and frankly his patience was reaching its' limit. Not by the task itself as that was rather easy. All he had to do was answer the call of any noble that wanted one of his treats, and just give it to them without question. Not a big deal really.

No the problem he had was how each and every damn noble kept treating him and calling him a commoner or servant.

Over.

And over.

And _over_ again!

Ryoga was many things but patient was never really one of them. This whole commoner-noble trend he was experiencing was starting to piss him off big time. He didn't care how people saw him or what they chose to call him, as he never concerned himself over such trivial things before, but the more he kept hearing that word _"commoner"_ being tossed around and seeing how the nobles acted and treated him, the more he was a witness to just how bad the non-magic class of this world were being treated.

Whenever he approached one of these so-called students the usual reactions he got seemed to be them barley acknowledging the fact that he was there. They just ordered him around or asked for food and that was it. Hell most of the time they didn't even give a form of thanks or gratitude. Not that he cared for or expected such sincerity.

Of course that was only the more positive reactions he got. Sometimes however he got to meet the particularly _funny_ assholes who thought it would be a good laugh to purposefully drop their food or something else on their person, and ordered _him_ to retrieve it for them. Or even better, they wanted him to clean the mess _they_ had made and wouldn't let him leave until he did so. He was half tempted to kick their faces in whenever that happened. And then there were those who were so high on their horse that they just flat out ignored him and pretended he didn't exist. As if he was just a speck of dust in the wind or a bug that wasn't even worth their attention.

All the while being called a servant or commoner by every single one of them.

 _"Is this what Siesta has to put up with all the time?"_ Ryoga wondered, his expression growing sour at the thought. The maid seemed like a nice enough girl and she didn't appear to have any negative views on the things happening around her. But if this was how she was being treated the whole time she worked here, then it made the former Barian question how she stayed the way she was.

But it wasn't just about her either, but every single "commoner" that worked in this place. Even if the insults were minor and the actions stupid, it still infuriated him to see such treatment of people just because of one tiny difference in power and birth. After all while he could handle the idiocy of these noble brats himself, it didn't mean everybody else could. Everyone had their breaking points, and most didn't last when they reached it. Not to mention that all of this was coming from an academy, a place of learning and respect between peers.

He didn't even want to consider what a town or city in this world was like for the common-folk.

Ryoga had never stood for such a thing back when he was king, and he sure as hell couldn't stand it now. If not for his promise to Siesta about not causing trouble to the nobles he probably would have snapped at several of them long ago. At the very least, made some kind of snark remark to put them in their place.

Still, whether he wanted to do something or not it didn't matter. He was an outsider in this world, so it's not like anyone would take him seriously unless he proved himself otherwise. And besides, the last thing he needed right now was to cause trouble and draw any unwanted attention towards himself while he was still new to everything around him. Maybe after he spent more time in this world he could think of something to help Siesta and the others here.

For now though, Ryoga pushed the thoughts aside and focused back to the task at hand.

He still had one last piece of cake to deliver before he could head back to help out more, yet nobody seemed open to take it from him. Heck he had spent the last twenty minutes carrying around the dessert, and it was causing him to receive some awkward looks he would rather not have.

 _"Would someone_ please _just take the damn thing so I can leave already!?"_ Ryoga mentally begged.

As if hearing his thoughts, a voice called out from behind. "Oy you there! Bring me that cake you have would you?"

Well, at least the person hadn't called him a commoner.

Yet.

Turning towards the voice Ryoga quickly spotted the source. It was a male student with blond curly hair and blue eyes, one of the recurring patterns he seemed to notice with people in this place. What was different was the fact the kid had his white t-shirt open slightly and held what looked like a rose in one hand. He also appeared to have a giant ground hog or mole sitting on his lap that he was continuously petting without a care.

Despite the fact that the mole was much larger than the noble himself.

 _"Must be his familiar,"_ Ryoga presumed while he walked over. As he approached he noticed another student with the boy, this one a female. She also had the blond hair and blue eyes thing going on, though her hair was long and appeared to be styled into what looked like several sets of ringlets, along with a red hair bow tied on the back of her head. She also appeared to be holding a tiny frog in her hands, probably her familiar as well.

"I talked with Verdandi the whole of last night," the boy spoke to the girl as he pet the large mole gracefully.

"Really, the whole night?" The girl asked with a bit of doubt.

The boy nodded. "Indeed. These intelligent eyes, this magnificent fur, it really is a familiar spirit reserved just for me," the boy praised nuzzling the fur of his familiar. The girl sighed at the sight.

"At least make sure to keep it underground when you're with me would you?"

Ryoga rolled his eyes at the conversation as he finally approached the table and placed the cake down. "Here you go."

"Ah splendid," the boy said happily, not even bothering to look at the person who delivered his treat. "Bring me seconds on the tea as well."

 _"Get it yourself!"_ Ryoga shouted in his head as his eye twitched. Remember the promise, remember the promise!

The boy however didn't seem to notice as he continued conversing with his companion. "Your familiar spirit also fits you. It really resembles you in how cute it is."

The girl let out a small laugh. "You flatter me as always."

"Of course. I would never lie to your eyes," the boy said suavely, giving a handsome smile and flirtatious look to the female.

 _"Gag me,"_ Ryoga shook his head and turned his back to the two ready to leave.

"Still Guiche, I recently heard a rumor about you dating a first-year student," the girl accused, her eyes narrowing into a glare towards the fellow blond, who flinched slightly before giving a nervous chuckle.

"N-Nonsense. There's never a hidden side in my affection for you! I-"

Ryoga didn't bother to hear the rest as he closed his eyes and walked off, lest he start to feel sick. This was another reason he never bothered with romance in any of his previous lives. Too much damn drama.

Still his task was done, thank Kami, meaning all he had to do now was find Siesta and see what was next on the list. He may not have enjoyed spending so much quality time with the nobles, especially after understanding more of how the interactions between nobles and commoners worked in this world, but he would endure it for now if it meant making up for this morning's accident. Plus it wasn't exactly like he had anything better to do with his time.

Well there was always finding out more about this new world he was in, but he was still trying to wrap his head around everything else first.

With that thought though, Ryoga opened his eyes and-

 **SLAM!**

"Gah!"

"Ahh!"

You know in retrospect, he probably should have kept his eyes open in such a crowded place.

It only made sense after all. It's like walking in the streets of Heartland. You always need to be aware of your surroundings less you wanted to get run down by a dude on a hoverboard or some idiot driving while texting. Or in the case of Dueling, making sure that nobody else was in range when the AR Vision is in use, less you wind up smacking into them when you get blown back by an attack.

But seriously, this was getting annoying now. He had never been this prone to accidents before. That was always Yuma's shtick, not his.

And yet once again Ryoga questioned whether whatever deity in this world was trying to mess with him or not as he crashed into yet _another_ person. Luckily the Duelist seemed to have learned his lesson the first two times, and quickly managed to catch his balance and remain firmly planted on his feet. Letting out a relieved sigh he looked up to see who he had the unfortunate pleasure of running into this time.

Surprisingly it wasn't Siesta this time. But it was still a girl.

She had silky brown hair that stretched past her shoulders and a pair of violet-colored eyes. She also seemed to be wearing the same school uniform as the other students, though Ryoga noticed that her cloak was brown in color rather than black like everyone else's. Either way the sight brought a worried feeling into the former Barian, as he realized that this time he had the unfortunate pleasure of running into a noble rather than one of the workers.

Fuck.

"Ah sorry, didn't see you there. Are you alright?" Ryoga asked quickly extended a hand to the fallen girl, ignoring the sense of déjà vu as he did.

The girl looked up at the boy a bit surprised but shook it off as she took his hand and pulled herself up. "Y-Yes I'm fine. My apologies, I was distracted and didn't pay attention to my surroundings."

Yup, déjà vu alright.

Ryoga could already picture Siesta in the girl's place. However that sense of weirdness was nothing compared to the fact that this was the first time he had heard any noble actually thank him or apologize for something. He wasn't quite sure how to feel about it.

"Ah! My souffle!" The girl suddenly gasped as she reached over to a white wooden basket on the ground next to her. Looking inside the girl sighed in relief and smiled. "Thank Brimir, it's still safe."

 _"Shit, that was too close,"_ Ryoga thought as he watched the girl stand up and dust herself off. Whatever was in the basket was clearly important. He was just lucky that it didn't seem damaged, less he invoke the wrath of this noble somehow. "Sorry again. Wasn't keeping my eyes open when I should have."

"No no it's fine," the girl waved her hand with a cute smile. "It'll just teach me to be more attentive next time. So don't trouble yourself alright?"

Yup, really freaking weird to hear those words from a noble. Deciding to simply ignore the strangeness and leave while he could the Duelist nodded and turned away. "If you're sure then I'll be going now. Take care miss."

"Katie," the girl announced, thinking the boy was asking her name. "My name is Katie."

Ryoga looked confused for a moment but shrugged it off and nodded. "Ryoga," he introduced himself before continuing to walk off.

"Ah, wait a moment!"

Or not.

 _"What now?"_ The purple-haired boy thought in annoyance. Seriously, he was trying to avoid causing an incident here. The girl seemed polite and all but she was still a noble, and that could cause trouble if he wasn't careful, especially seeing as his view of nobles was already low enough as it was.

Regardless he couldn't just ignore her either so he turned once more to the brunette, hiding his frustration as he did. "Yes? Did you need something else?"

Katie paused for a moment, looking to be thinking about something before speaking. "I-If it's not too much trouble, could you help me?" Ryoga blinked confused but listened as the girl continued. "You see I'm looking for someone, a noble actually. Last night he and I spoke and he mentioned how he would love to have a taste of the soufflé I made. I thought I might find him out here and give him the one I made last night since he has no classes today, but there are so many people around here and I seem to be a little lost. Please, if you know where he is or have any idea where he might be, could you help me find him?"

Ryoga had to restrain his eyes from twitching again.

Why him?

This girl was asking the impossible of him. How the heck was he supposed to help find a single person in a sea of people when so far every noble he had encountered today had essentially looked and acted the same to him? Plus, this sounded like another damn romance drama event waiting to happen. Hadn't he just walked away from that shit just a moment ago? Last thing he wanted was to be dragged even further into it.

Still, she was a noble. She certainly seemed nice, nicer than the rest anyways, but if he said no there was no telling how the girl would react. But he couldn't exactly help either since he didn't know a single damn face or name around here.

Trapped between a rock and a hard place Ryoga let out a quiet sigh and looked away. "Look Miss, I'd like to help but truth is I don't really know anybody here. I'm not one of the workers here or a student, I'm just here because of...circumstance. So I'm not even sure how much help I'd really be to you."

Katie looked surprised by his words before her face filled with sadness. "O-Oh. I see..."

The tonal shift caught Ryoga by surprise. He turned back to look at the girl and see how she was going to react to the news, as well as prepare himself just in case. Yet upon looking at the girl's face the former king flinched back in a painful shock.

The girl's head was down, her eyes sparkling in a liquid sort of way, her lips curled slightly, and her face filled with a tiny bit of sorrow. The entire sight of which caused a very dark and familiar feeling in Ryoga. It was a look he knew all too well. A look Rio had always given him many times over when they were little, and even past when they were teenagers. And whether the girl realized she was doing it or not, it didn't stop him from recognizing it as his one true weakness against any female.

A puppy-dog pout.

 _"Kami-dammed son of a-"_ Ryoga cursed himself mentally, his eyes twitching rapidly.

Why him?

Why fucking him!?

What was it about this world that just seemed to love pushing his buttons every fucking second!? He could never resist that damn stupid look when Rio used it on him, and now this girl somehow had it!? What the hell!?

This was punishment wasn't it? This was his burden to bare because of the actions and sins he committed back in his world! It had to be. I mean come on the whole situation had Yuma written all damn over it, and yet the Kattobingu obsessed moron was nowhere to be found when he was actually needed!

Just another reason for the former Barian to envy and hate that idiot.

After a few seconds of inner yelling and cursing his luck, Ryoga took a deep breath, cleared his mind, and looked once more at the girl. She still had the same look of sadness about her, and because of it the image of Rio's own pout appeared once again in the Duelist's mind, earning a bitter grunt out of him.

Dammit. That just sealed the deal didn't it?

Releasing a heavy sigh Ryoga closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in defeat. "But...I suppose I could spare a few minutes to try and help you look for this guy."

Katie's head shot up surprised as if mishearing the words. "R-Really? Do you mean it?" she asked a bit hesitantly. Ryoga hesitated for a moment but nodded, albeit with great reluctance, making the brunette's expression instantly switched from sorrow to joy as she gave a wide smile. "T-Thank you! Thank you so very much Mister Ryoga! I really, really appreciate this!"

 _"I'm a fucking idiot,"_ Ryoga berated himself, dropping his hand before asking. "So who exactly are you looking for anyways?"

Katie broke from her excitement at the question. "Ah yes that's right. The person I'm looking for is Sir Guiche de Gramont. He's a second-year student who just received his familiar yesterday, an Earth mole I believe," she explained, her eyes beginning to almost gleam in the sunlight. "He has amazingly silky blond hair, sparkling majestic blue eyes, a voice with words of grace and wisdom, a chest th-"

"I don't think I need a full detail thank you!" Ryoga shouts cutting off the girl's daydream. Good thing too. He really didn't need to hear that much praise about somebody, especially coming from a girl. It would only serve to give him nightmares about the fangirls he used to have when he was in the running for Duel Champion.

The memories of which still haunt him to this day.

Still that name, Guiche was it? Ryoga pondered over it for a moment before his eyes lit up with realization. Wasn't that the name he heard earlier when he was delivering that last cake of his? From the blonde girl with the frog if he recalled right. It sounded like it, plus the description Katie gave him seemed to match what he could recall of the female blonde's companion, however brief his glance at them was.

Still what was this girl's connection to that guy if he was with someone else?

Keeping that thought to the back of his head Ryoga addressed the girl in front of him. "Listen, I think I may know who you're talking about, though I can't be certain. But if you want I can show you where I last saw him and you can judge for yourself. And if it's not him then we'll just keep looking, alright?"

"Are you sure?" Kaite asked, trying to keep her excitement contained. Upon seeing the ocean-eyed boy nod she felt her emotions soar and smiled brightly. "Then please, lead the way Mister Ryoga!"

"Yeah, yeah."

With that Ryoga turned around and began walking in the direction of the last table he visited, with Katie happily in tow beside him.

Yet as the two made their way towards their destination, a strange sense of foreboding crept into the former Barian Emperor's heart.

 _"Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"_

* * *

 **Hello everybody! Good to see you all again!**

 **The newest chapter is up as you've seen, and now I am on vacation till next Monday. Meaning I will be working on my other chapters more than usual when I can, including far future ones, and will have another one up by the end of this week, so yay!**

 **Though I admit the chapter I'm currently on I'm having a slight problem with. Not with what I want to do in it, but just the intro. I always seem to have trouble with starting intros to each new chapter or story, but given I've got this whole week free hopefully I can think of something to work out for it. And don't worry this chapter is still quite a while ahead before you guys reach it, so no troubles there.**

 **Actually I think my new goal, after this week, will be that every time I complete a future chapter, I'll upload a new one that's completed so that I can look back on it with what I've done recently and see if I can make improvements.**

 **What this will do for time, no idea. But hopefully it'll make the experience better.**

 **Now onto reviews and comments!**

 **FOJ and duskrider: I'm glad you enjoyed the interaction with Siesta. I always found her to be one of the more underdeveloped characters in the series. While she starts off great and interesting given her backstory and status as a commoner, she became less important as he seasons went on and more as just a harem girl character, something I hope to try and avoid given I got big plans for her.**

 **Guest: Sorry if ending confused ya, but glad you enjoyed the chapter the same! Hope you like this one as well and don't feel as confused!**

 **Sekishiki: Glad yo know you're enjoying Louise's actions and Ryoga's bond to Siesta. As for Tabitha well that will come with time, don't you worry.**

 **And yeah the cover and title may have been a bit misleading, least for now, but glad to see it sorted out with you. And yes Ryoga's deck is still strong even without the Numbers, seeing the number of times he kicked their asses with them during the first season. Also interesting idea with the memories of IV. I don't have a place for them now, but I could definitely see them being used in the future, so thank you man :D.**

 **Anyways got to go rest now. Morning I have to get up early for my flight. But hope you guys enjoyed the chapter, and stay tuned for the next one...seeing as we all know what's about to go down.**

 **Till next time everybody!**

 **TrueHeartKnight.**


	9. Guiche de Gramont

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

* * *

Guiche de Gramont was having a good week. A very good week indeed.

First, he had successfully become a second-year student at the well profound and famous Tristain Academy of Magic, an achievement his family would surely be proud of. Then he had managed to summon his very own familiar, the absolutely beautiful earth mole Verdandi, who while at first surprised the blonde-haired noble, quickly warmed his way into Guiche's heart due to the mole's stunning eyes and absolutely wondrous affection.

Then to continue adding to the fortune, Guiche met with a cute and adorable first-year with whom he had managed to entrance with his wit and charm, as such beauty should never be denied one as fabulous and perfect as him. And then to top it all off, he had discovered a tasty little secret last night thanks to his new and wonderful familiar, and fully intended on finding a use of such information at some point in the future.

And so here Guiche was, at the end of his week, enjoying a warm sunny day with his dear Montmorency Margarita La Fere de Montmorency, while at the same time spending quality bonding with his familiar spirit.

 _"Yes indeed,"_ Guiche thought to himself with a smile as he took a sip of his tea. _"Nothing could possibly ruin such a wonderful week for me."_

"Sir Guiche!"

And like that Guiche promptly spat out his tea.

* * *

"You're a first year?" Ryoga asked, curiosity showing as he looked at the cloak draped upon the noble next to him.

"Indeed," Katie acknowledged with a smile. "You see here at the academy each student is identified by year based on the colored cloak that they wear. Since I'm a first-year my cloak color is brown. The second-years who received their familiars all have black cloaks, and third-years have purple. In fact Sir Guiche is a second-year and will be wearing a black cloak, so that will help to identify him easier."

"I see," Ryoga nodded, not really caring about the Guiche guy and more so on the information gathered. He would definitely have to keep the color of a student's cloak in mind for the future just in case he ended up crossing unfortunate paths with one. "Well it certainly explains why you look different from most of the other students."

"I don't think I look that much different from the other first-years," Katie giggled.

"Not exactly what I meant," Ryoga said trying to hide a light smirk of his own.

The two had been walking around the courtyard for the past several minutes in search of _Sir Guiche's_ table. While Ryoga knew it was somewhere nearby he hadn't bothered to memorize exactly where, seeing as he had tried to forget everything dealing with these noble brats while serving them. And while the trip could have probably been finished much faster had he kept focus and simply walked forward without a word, the conversation he was having with this girl was causing the both of them to travel at a slower pace, though neither seemed to complain about it.

Ryoga still desired answers to many questions and things he didn't understand about this world, and while having gotten a basic breakdown from Osmond and Colbert they hadn't managed to explain everything due to his little confrontation with the pink-haired demon. And while he probably could have asked his questions when he next went to see the headmaster, he didn't have much confidence in the outcome considering the meeting with the old man this morning had led to the current situation the Duelist was in; serving and dealing with these upper-class brats. Plus there was no doubt in his mind that the headmaster wanted something else out of this little experience Ryoga was having, and would probably try to play the fence as long as he could till Ryoga gave in. Frankly the former Barian would rather not waste his time or risk the chance of being put in an even worse situation.

So instead he decided to try and obtain any information about the academy and its' workings from Katie, since chances were he'd be stuck in this place for a while. Not only would this be much easier and faster than dealing with Osmond, but considering the female noble seemed to be the only student in the entire academy that wasn't a complete ass or idiot right off the bat, the purple-clad teen intended to make use of the opportunity presented to himself despite how short it would be.

Thankfully Katie was more than willing to provide such insight to the lost Duelist, even if her personality was a bit too bright and cheerful for his taste, and had answered every question of his with reasonable understanding and explanation. In fact as it stood now Katie was at the top of Ryoga's list of _good_ nobles, which currently only consisted of three people, and even then those other two were debatable.

While a bit obsessed with this Guiche guy, Katie was by far the nicest noble he had met since his arrival. Polite, apologetic, understanding, and cheerful were just a few of the positive, if not overly active, traits he could sense from his interaction with the girl. Her being so young and naive might have had something to do with that, but at least it was a lot better than just being ordered around or mocked all the time. And definitely far less rage-inducing than being called commoner or servant constantly.

Ryoga had actually been surprised by how young the brunette was. While he had initially guessed her age upon first seeing her, his suspicions were confirmed upon directly asking Katie, with her revealing that she was only fourteen years old. Rather fitting seeing as that made her physically the same age as his current body. And when he compared that information with the knowledge of cloak colors, it meant that all first-years were around his age or younger, the second-years were at least a year or two older than him, and the third-years were two to three years.

Which also meant that, somehow, the pink banshee he encountered yesterday was older than him despite her looking his age and acting like a bratty little child.

He wasn't sure whether to laugh out loud or pity the little demon, but it was surprising either way.

Still the fact that Katie was so young just added more to Ryoga's curiosity, as there was something about the brunette that made her stand out. Compared to every other high on their horse and stick up their ass he had met, she had a different air about her, and it wasn't just because of her age or first-year status, though both did have a part in it, but more so the aura that surrounded her.

Not a physical aura, which he doubted the people of this world could produce, but more regarding the girl's presence and nature. It was, in the best words he could think of, "purer" than everybody else's he had seen. She didn't have the same cocky attitude as the other students nor seemed to treat him any different simply because he was labeled as a commoner. She acted as if they were equals, both able to talk on the same level without worry about titles or position. In a way it reminded him of Siesta's presence, and how she treated him like a regular person rather than the familiar of a noble.

Though he could only take guesses as to why Katie felt "purer" than the other nobles, he figured that her idealism might have had a major role in it. The fact that she was so young and the way she acted probably meant that she had a similar mindset to Yuma and his friends. She probably saw the world with a bright and joyful outlook, wanting to enjoy life to its' fullest while making many friends and helping people out regardless of their differences. It was truly a naive and childish thought process, but one that was rare and kind-hearted, especially considering every other student Ryoga had seen during his time here.

Kind of a shame really. If more nobles were like her and Siesta then he might not have had such a negative view of wanting to feed them to a pit of great whites.

One could only dream.

Regardless of her idealism or not Ryoga was grateful for the information Katie provided him. Thanks to their conversation he had now learned that the school ran in a three-year program for all students similar to the schools from his world, that the students and staff each lived in their own housing areas, which explained Colbert's comment from yesterday about the servant's quarters, and that the five towers surrounding the main one were used for various different classes and lessons, as well as represented the five elements of magic of this world; fire, water, wind, earth, and void.

Ryoga made a mental note to later learn as much as possible about these five elements and their usage in magic.

And of course, the purple-haired boy had now learned that the various colored cloaks all the students wore determined each of their grade years within the school, which would help him to know how to interact with each student a lot easier. Though it did bring up a train of thought in the Duelist mind that he was curious about.

"Still though, why is a first-year like you so interested in finding this Guiche guy if he's a second-year? No offense or anything, but just how well do you two know each other that you would make him a personal food basket?" Ryoga turned his gaze towards the item in the girl's hands.

Katie promptly blushed at the question and looked away to hide her face. "T-That's a bit personal I'm afraid. Sorry."

A brow rose curiously on Ryoga's face but he simply shrugged and turned back to focusing on walking. While he may have a high opinion of the girl so far it didn't really matter to him what she did or who she interacted with. Just so long as nothing else happened to bring him more trouble than he had gone through already. Though now that he thought about it, was talking to a noble so casually like this something commoners even did in this world?

Eh, screw the rules. He wasn't even from this world.

After a few more minutes of walking around and searching Ryoga finally managed to spot the table he had last delivered the desserts too. And it seemed the blonde boy and girl from before were still there along with their familiars, which gave the Duelist a huge sigh of relief that they hadn't left yet. Now all that was left was to see if he was right in his assumption or if this was just a huge waste of time.

"Hey Katie," Ryoga caught the attention of the bruenette as he pointed towards the table. "That the guy you're looking for?"

Katie blinked and looked over in the direction Ryoga pointed. Upon spotting the table her mouth immediately shifted into a huge smile and her eyes seemed to sparkle.

"It is! Sir Guiche!" Katie called out to the blonde boy excitedly, who seemed to spit his drink out in shock. Ryoga's brow rose at the action but the first-year didn't seem to notice as she turned to her temporary escort and gave a small bow. "Thank you very much for your help Mister Ryoga. I promise I won't forget this and will be sure to repay you somehow!"

"Eh, don't worry about it. Just get going and stay out of trouble alright?" Ryoga shrugged as he motioned his arm to the table, finally happy to have this matter settled. Katie nodded and ran from her escort towards the table, but not before waving one last time to him with excitement and joy glowing off her.

Ryoga waved back lightly to simply be polite, but as he watched the first-year run off his usually calm appearance shifted to a rather serious one. He couldn't explain why, but throughout the time he had spent with Katie he could feel as if something bad was going to happen. There was no logic or reasoning behind it, but after living for so long and suffering through many tragedies, it was almost as if he had developed a seventh sense about these sorts of things.

And it seemed that whatever was about to occur would involve Katie and that boy she was heading for.

Should it matter to him though? He had done his job and found this Guiche guy like Katie wanted, and it wasn't like he was obligated to get involved in other people's affairs for no reason. Plus now that he was free again he should head back to the kitchen and meet up with Siesta so he could continue helping her out. Kami knows he's kept the girl waiting long enough.

Yet he never turned away to do so, his feet remaining firmly planted in place. And while it may have seemed stupid, he knew exactly why.

Even if he wasn't involved with the problem, Ryoga wouldn't turn away from those who needed help. He may have done so once before, but that was during a dark time where he had felt like there was no reason or hope to continue living or care for himself. That had long since changed though since the time he spent with Yuma and Astral, the two showing that even a piece of shit like him deserved to be happy. And whether it was as a king, a Barian Emperor, a Duelist, or just a normal human, he was no longer someone who just sat idly by and did nothing when someone was in trouble.

"I blame you for this feeling Yuma," Ryoga muttered with a small smile before pushing it down and making his way towards the table.

All while knowing he was going to sorely regret this.

* * *

"K-Katie!" Guiche sputtered out as he looked at the first-year surprised. Why was she here? Why was Katie here of all places!?

"I've been searching for you Sir Guiche!" Katie said happily as she reached the boy. Wasting no time she lifted her basket into view for him and smiled. "I thought you might be enjoying your tea outside, so I brought the soufflé I spoke of last night! I was hoping you might want to taste it now and tell me what you thought?"

"A-Ah I see," Guiche replied nervously, eyes shifting to look at anything except the basket. "W-Well that's very kind of you and all, but I'm-"

"Last night?"

Guiche flinched at the feminine voice and turned to see Montmorency staring at him and Katie, specifically him, with suspiciously narrowed eyes.

"It's not what you think!" Guiche quickly tried to explain. "Y-You see I was just-"

"Huh?" Katie blinked confused, only now noticing the presence of the second blonde. "Oh! I'm so sorry Miss Montmorency, I didn't realize Sir Guiche was with his friend. I wasn't intruding was I?"

"His 'friend'?" Montmorency half-shouted ignoring the question. Her glare grew harder as she stood up from her chair. "What do you mean by _'_ friend'? What does she mean by 'friend' Guiche!?"

Guiche paled. "T-That's-"

"Sir Guiche, what's going on?" Katie asked concerned by the unusual reactions from the second-year.

Guiche felt himself begin to panic. This was bad. This was really, _really_ bad! He needed to come up with an explanation and fast. "W-Well I, that is, you see-"

"Heh, so that explains it."

A fourth voice suddenly broke into the conversation making the trio of nobles pause and turn to the source, where they spotted Ryoga standing nearby with hands in pocket and a wicked smirk on his face.

"Y-You're, Zero's familiar?" Guiche said, startled and confused by the sudden appearance of the commoner.

"I had thought something was a bit odd with this situation when I arrived. But this…" Ryoga chuckled as he looked at the noble boy, his gaze resembling a cat having cornered a mouse. "This is just hilarious."

"Hey, what's that guy saying?"

"Not sure, but isn't that the Zero's familiar?"

"Looks like it. Seems he's involved with whatever's going on with Guiche as well."

Guiche paled further as he looked around. It seemed the event with the girls and familiar had drawn in a crowd of students and servants. The situation had swiftly gone from bad to worse in the blink of an eye as they were now completely surrounded on all sides, making escape practically impossible.

"Mister Ryoga, what do you mean?" Katie asked worried as she looked between Guiche and the boy who helped her.

"Isn't it obvious?" Ryoga said, his grin never once losing its' luster.

Screw the promise, this was grade-A gold here and he wasn't going to pass it up. Not when this idiot had done all the work for him. Sure he knew Siesta was gonna be mad at him for this, but technically he wasn't the one who started the whole thing or was even the one in trouble. He was just _helping_ to let the truth be known, so really there was no issue here.

Besides, he needed a stress reliever after all the shit that had happened to him, and he just found the perfect dummy.

So hello misplaced aggression. You were greatly missed.

"You mentioned before how your color made you a first-year right?" Ryoga stated more than asked. Katie slowly nodded, not understanding where he was going with this. "Well earlier when I was delivering this guy his cake, I heard that girl with the bow over there mention something very interesting. I believe it was about a rumor involving 'Sir Guiche' here messing around with a first-year, am I right?"

Guiche gaped in fear. Montmorency, being the one brought up, raised a brow curiously and nodded. "That's right. What of it?" The female student asked.

Ryoga chuckled. "Well as it so happens, Katie here was looking around for 'Sir Guiche' not long ago, mentioning something about talking to him last night and how she had made something special for him. And wouldn't you know it, she just so happens to be a first-year as well. Isn't that a bit of a strange coincidence?"

The crowd seemed to mutter in agreement as Katie frowned and looked at her crush confused. "Sir Guiche?"

"Guiche, is he telling the truth? Speak up!" Montmorency demanded.

Guiche felt his heart racing. This was getting out of control! He needed to fix things now before they became unsalvageable! Deciding to try and re-aim the focus onto the familiar rather than himself, Guiche stood from his chair and pointed his rose at the boy.

"J-Just what are you saying?" Guiche spoke firmly, putting on his best display of pride and nobility. "Aren't you just making baseless accusations? Such words you speak! You're going to found needless misunderstandings between these ladies! Don't give off the wrong idea you commoner!"

Ryoga felt his smirk grow wider.

"Wrong idea…about _what_ exactly?"

Guiche froze as he realized what the boy had done.

"Oy Guiche!"

"Sir Guiche!"

The sound of two feminine shouts caused Guiche to turn back to Montmorency and Katie, both staring at him with mixed emotions. One filled with anger and suspicion, and the other with worry and sorrow.

Guiche quickly tried to initiate damage control as he addressed the two. "W-Wait a minute! I swear I can explain!"

"'You'd love to have a taste of her soufflé'. Isn't that what you told Katie last night?" Ryoga didn't give the boy a chance as he recited the words Katie told him earlier. The blood was in the water. All that was left was to deliver the killing blow.

Guiche turned to him fearfully. "Y-You-"

"Fact is, you have two girls here before you, both of which you hid from the other. Both of which wanting to know the truth. Both of which seeming to have some form of affection for you. And yet you still won't say anything? It's almost like you're trying to hide something from them," Ryoga tilted his head in a curious manner. "In fact…"

Guiche panicked. "W-Wait a sec-"

"If I didn't know any better, I would think you were almost… _two-timing_ them."

Silence flew over the crowd. The two girl's eyes widened. Guiche lost all shade of color.

And Ryoga's winning grin turned into an innocent smile.

"What do you think, _'_ Sir Guiche'?"

And like that, the sharks dove in.

"Two-timing!?" Katie cried out.

"So you really did lay your fingers on this first-year then!" Montmorency screamed in fury.

Guiche raised his hands defensively. "P-Please Montmorency the Fragrance! Please don't distort your rose-like face with anger! T-This is all a mista-"

"You're horrible! You said I was the only one for you! The only one in your heart!" Katie cried out with watery eyes.

"P-Please, both of you, c-calm do-"

Guiche didn't get the chance to finish as both girls approached him and shouted in unison.

"YOU LIAR!"

 **SLAP!**

Guiche landed hard on his ass as both his facial cheeks now sported a bright red handprint. All around laughter broke the air from every noble and servant who watched the event unfold before them, while the two girls caught in the event took off in opposite directions and emotions. One in fury, and the other in tears.

"You got dumped Guiche!"

"He totally deserved it too for two-timing!"

"Hahaha, that was so worth watching!"

Ryoga said nothing and just smiled. Kami that felt good. He needed that after all the shit and confusion he had gone through since he first arrived in this world. The fact that it was on one of the noble brats who had dug the hole himself was an added bonus, and made the victory all the more satisfying.

 _"Still…"_ Ryoga's smile faded into a guilty frown as he looked over in the Katie ran off in. He knew full well how bad the girl would be hurt upon discovering the truth, but it was better that she find out now rather than have her heart shattered later on because of this idiot's actions. Even so the Duelist knew he should at least apologize to the first-year for his involvement in this event since he probably made the situation even worse than it already was.

Before he could follow after the first-year though the voice of Guiche called out to him. "It seems, one such as you isn't aware of the manners and respect you should show to a noble, commoner."

Ryoga calmly turned his head towards Guiche, who now stood back on his feet and bared a look of anger on his face. The former king was not fazed in the slightest.

"Respect? Sorry to say but where I come from you aren't given respect unless you earn it," Ryoga calmly spoke.

"Is that so?" Guiche inquired as he rubbed his face with a handkerchief, trying ever so hard to ignore the stinging pain in his cheeks. He then pocketed the woven material away only to withdraw a rose in its' place. "It seems you are lacking in a few lessons then, though that could be easily rectified. But first, how do you plan to apologize for this atrocity?"

Ryoga stared at noble as if he had grown a second head. "Apologize?"

"Indeed!" Guiche declared pointing the rose directly at Ryoga. "You are a mere commoner, and a familiar spirit at that! And yet you dared to insult me, and above all, made two girls cry! How do you plan to answer for this?"

Ryoga loudly scoffed. "Cry? Last I checked they were more pissed than sad. Besides, wasn't it _you_ who two-timed them? I'm pretty sure that makes everything your fault in the end."

"He's right Guiche!"

"Yeah take responsibility!"

More laughter broke out causing Guiche to grit his teeth in anger. His temper only grew worse when he witnessed the one who insulted him turn his back and begin walking away. "Oy! Just where do you think you're running away too commoner? We're not done here!"

"We are," Ryoga didn't even bother to look back. "I'm not running anywhere. I just don't waste my time on small guppies like you. Come back when you actually grow a pair."

The laughter grew louder as Guiche's fingers clenched tightly on his rose. How dare he! How dare this commoner say such things! His honor and pride were shattered, he was put on the spot before two beautiful women and had lost them both, and now this commoner dared to show his back to him and leave as if he was nothing!?

He would not take this! He would not be brought down and insulted in such a manner by some low-class wretch!

He would not be humiliated!

"I challenge you to a duel!"

At those words the crowd's laughter instantly ceased, Guiche's shout having completely changed the atmosphere of the situation. The crowd soon began whispering amongst themselves with shock and disbelief. A duel? With a commoner familiar? Was that even allowed? None of them had ever heard of such a thing before as duels were forbidden by the academy instructors and headmaster. But then again that was between nobles, not a noble and commoner, so many weren't sure what to think of this sudden declaration.

The only voice that was silent was Ryoga, who had suddenly frozen in step.

"You come here uninvited, promptly insult the honor of two lovely women, insult my own honor, and then have the nerve to walk away?" Guiche's grip on his rose tightened further as he glared at the purple-haired commoner. "I will not stand for it! You will be taught a valuable lesson about the difference between nobles and commoners, and when it is over, you will be begging me for an apology!"

All around the nobles watching felt a hint of excitement fill their bodies while the workers felt nervous and worried. Guiche didn't seem to notice or care though. His attention was focused solely on the commoner in front of him as he waited for the coward to answer him back.

But for some reason nothing seemed to happen.

A scared expression, a manner of begging and forgiveness; the blonde noble expected some sort of reaction. Something, anything from the bastard who had mocked him so he could burn the expression into his mind and savor it. After all it was a given that no commoner could ever hope to match a noble, so he fully expected the boy to be panicking by this point.

But the commoner just continued to stand there.

Unmoving, unflinching, and in complete silence.

Finally having enough Guiche snapped. "Say something you damn commoner!"

"Heh..."

Everybody flinched at the sudden sound. It had been quiet and out of nowhere, almost like a ghost that had suddenly appeared and caught them by surprise. But it was there, and it could be heard again, this time slightly louder. That's when everybody noticed the commoner shaking, as they realized the sound was coming from him. Thinking it was out of fear Guiche grinned in arrogance.

"What's wrong? Is the little familiar afraid?" Guiche mocked. "Well maybe if you apologize to me here and now I may just consider forgi-"

"Hehehehehehe!

Guiche froze in his speech as the everyone looked at the boy surprised. The sound was becoming much clearer and louder now.

Hahahahahahahaha!"

But it wasn't what they expected. It wasn't the sound of someone panicking or breaking down in fear. No, as they heard the noise grow louder, everybody realized exactly what kind of sound was emitting from the commoner's mouth.

Laughter.

 **"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"**

It was laughter alright, but not normal laughter by any stretch of the imagination. The entire crowd along with Guiche found themselves frozen at the sound emitting from the boy's mouth. They would deny it all they wanted, but the noise they heard was absolutely terrifying. It was as if from a demon or monster rather than a human being. Was it even possible for such a sound to be made from a human?

The laughter soon died though as Ryoga brushed his hand through his hair and collected himself.

"You know," the Duelist spoke, his voice struggling to keep itself calm as everyone watched him. "Ever since I first came to this land, I've had nothing but contempt and annoyance at this place. I've been confused, frustrated, mocked, insulted, and pissed off so many times in the past twenty-four hours that it's a miracle I held myself back as long as I did on you fucking nobles. Frankly I can't begin to grasp how you idiots live in this backwards world."

Ryoga then turned and faced Guiche, the blonde noble flinching back from the wide and dangerous looking shark-toothed grin directed at him.

"But a Duel?" Ryoga's eyes seemed to gleam with excitement. "Out of all the damn craziness that's happened to me, out of all the stupidity and nonsense I've seen, _THAT_ is the first damn thing I can get behind!"

Guiche nearly jumped as he felt sweat drip down his neck, but quickly berated himself for it.

Why was he sweating? He wasn't afraid because of some commoner right? Of course not! He was just caught off guard by the boy's confidence was all! And the way this commoner was speaking, as if he had somehow been in a duel before, was clearly just a rouse to try and rile the noble up. It had to be.

Pushing aside the moment of weakness and recollecting himself Guiche grinned victoriously. "I take it you accept then?"

"Of course. I don't ever back down from a challenge. Especially a Duel," Ryoga stated with a firm nod.

"Then it's settled. Meet me at the Vestori Court in one hour! I will be waiting to teach you a proper lesson!"

With those words spoken Guiche turned and walked off, leaving the crowd to its' own excited mutters and whispering. Some people even broke off from the crowd to follow the playboy to his destination, while others left to spread word about the event. Ryoga didn't pay attention to any of them. He simply closed his eyes and focused on recollecting himself, but never once did he let the smirk drop from his face.

This…this was going to be fun.

"Familiar!"

"Shark-san!"

Ryoga's smirk instantly vanished and his eyes snapped open to the sound of two feminine voices calling out to him. Turning around he spotted the owners of the voices suddenly approaching him. The owners being two very familiar female figures.

And as he noticed the expressions on their faces, a single thought echoed through the Duelist's mind.

 _"Ah shit."_

* * *

 **HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! *PULLS OUT PARTY BANTERS AND FIREWORKS AND BEGINS TO PLAY WITH BOTH!***

 **How are you guys? Hope you had a fun week and enjoyed your Fourth of July, if you celebrate it. I would have had this chapter up sooner but sadly my parents weren't exactly giving me a lot of free time on my vacation ..**

 **Still I hope you all enjoyed this chapter! Now Guiche has gotten involved, and soon it'll be the first real conflict of the story! GAH I CAN'T WAIT TO PUT IT DOWN!**

 **Also my block with the other chapter is fully solved and fixed, so don't worry guys! I'm on a role!**

 **Now onto the comments!**

 **First from Touhou is Life (welcome by the way!): Just started reading this today. why this fanfic have no to much reviews. u definitely deserve them. also will people from sharks world be involved in this a bit?**

 **A: Thank you I'm glad you like it. And sadly I wish I knew too, but fact is I think I understand. While most people know familiar of zero and probably enjoy it, not as many liked Yu-Gi-Oh Zexal! or possibly even Yu-Gi-Oh!. Heck many may not even know what it is, and as such not many people will look at my story right away. It actually makes me a little sad sometimes when I see other stories get more popular cause of well known stories, but I keep going on because of you guys who encourage me, so thank you.**

 **As to your second question, all I can say is that in the original Zero no Tsukaima, things from Saito's world also kept appearing in the Zero world. Make of that what you will :D.**

 **FOJ: Hey, great chapter, there's been a lull in YugiOH crossovers recently, and your one of the only ones updating. This is actually a really good story, I like how you got Marteau to read Ryoga/Shark. It's showed some depth to him that you normally wouldn't get in the stories. Good job, and looking forward to the next update.**

 **A: Once more, thanks as always FOJ for the support. And yeah, I kinda have a thing where I take such fascination and interest in side or secondary characters because of how little there is to go on them. If I was in an rp or story like this, I'd want to know as much as I could about everyone because they all have stories of their own, and even if don't play a major role, can still be important later on, whether by support or even more. Which is why characters like Marteau and Katie both have their own depths and studies, whether by themselves orothers, and I hope I can continue with even more side characters.**

 **Sekishiki:This is another good chapter of Shark in this world, but I think its time something more of... action happens. Its not bad to have character interaction, but the plot needs to move a bit, since its the 8 chap and still there had been not a fight or Shark showing he is not a common person. Just want to help, so don't take bad this review. Also since Black Ray lancer helped him many times, I think here he should be his Ace.**

 **A: First, thanks for the support and don't worry, I wasn't upset by the review. In fact I appreciate it since it shows how much you like the story. And as you can see in this chapter, the conflict you want has now begun and is just around the corner, hehehe, so look forward to it because when Shark throws down, he throws down hard.**

 **And don't you worry about Black Ray. He along with many classics of Sharks will be appearing since they were all part of Ryoga before he became a Barian. And considering Black Ray was his ace BEFORE Shark Drake and Dark Knight (who I believe Ray was unknowingly chosen because of this) he will definitely be the main card to call when serious shit goes down.**

 **Well that's all the reviews. I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, because soon enough, it'll be time for first main event!**

 **Look forward, and once more.**

 **HAPPY FOURTH OF JULY! *blows a streamer and laughs as I celebrate with food and fireworks***

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	10. Exposed

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

* * *

"You, just what do you think you're doing!? Do you have any idea what you've caused!?" Louise shouted, her loud voice booming throughout the school halls making her displeasure known to all within earshot.

"If I didn't I certainly wouldn't ask you about it. Besides I don't see how it's your problem. I'm the one Dueling remember?" Ryoga said with a roll of his eyes, not that Louise noticed as he kept his back to the noble and didn't bother to even face her.

Louise's teeth grit tightly at the response. How could this fool joke at a time like this? Was he just trying to mock her or something? Noting that he was walking away Louise quickly made to follow after him, with Siesta doing the same beside her, as both girls tried to wrap their heads around the insanity of what happened.

After having finished her lunch and regaining her strength, Louise continued searching for her commoner servant. Yet it still seemed like luck wasn't on her side today as there was still no sign of the boy anywhere. To say she had gotten furious was beyond an understatement, as those in the courtyard were witness to her quiet and angry mutterings, as well as a few times where she just lashed out and yelled to herself in frustration.

That was how Siesta found her. Usually when a student acted in such a way it was either out of anxiety or anger, so the servants always made sure to keep their distance whenever possible to avoid getting themselves caught in the crossfire. It went doubly so for Louise's case due to her hotheaded temper and ability to make anything explode, which based on her reactions today was a very likely scenario to happen. Even so the raven-haired maiden couldn't bring herself to ignore the Zero of the school when she looked so distressed, especially given the noble's connection to Shark-san, and so ignoring her own fears she went over to help the poor girl.

Louise of course was too frustrated to care or accept the help and had been about to wave the maid away until she realized something. The servants were always around the school, their eyes and ears constantly watching out and listening to everything going on. So wouldn't it make sense if one of them had seen her familiar? Louise had nearly smacked herself for not realizing such a simple idea sooner, but it knocked enough sense into her to try and ask if Siesta had seen her familiar.

This discovery on Louise's part didn't have the same effect for Siesta. She knew full well about Shark-sans feelings towards the noble and how he refused to accept the contract, so when Miss Valliere asked about his location the maid was rather hesitant to answer. Logically the correct thing to do would be to tell Miss Valliere the truth, but there was no telling what she had in mind for Siesta's new friend, though even _she_ could tell it wouldn't be good. At the same time she couldn't just lie to the noble either less she be found out and punished for it later, putting the raven-haired beauty in middle of a crossroad on what to do.

It was at that moment of hesitation that both girls became aware of a large commotion happening around them, as they noticed students and servants alike racing off to another part of the courtyard and gathering into a large crowd. Curious themselves the two went to investigate and see what was going on. This led to them finding Ryoga and witnessing his agreement to a duel with Guiche.

A fact that made the youngest of the Valliere family absolutely livid.

A duel!?

A _duel_ for Brimir's sake!?

And with Guiche of all people too! While the blonde-haired moron may be a womanizing idiot, he was still a line-class mage with decent control and skill in Earth magic, something even Louise would bitterly admit. For any other noble it may not seem like much of a threat as he was still a student and thus didn't have much in terms of experience or power. But for a commoner like her familiar, it was the equivalent of an ant facing a dog.

There was no comparison in that!

"That's the point!" Louise continued to argue with Ryoga. "What do you think you're doing accepting a duel with a noble!? Don't you realize the situation you've gotten yourself into!?"

"She's right Shark-san," Siesta spoke up, her own concerns and fears expressed openly on her face. "You promised me you wouldn't cause any trouble. But this...this is beyond that. If you challenge a noble like this, you'll be-"

"I'll be what?" Ryoga stopped walking and looked back at the maid. "Beaten, hurt, killed? I've been through all three before and it's nothing new to me," he said sternly. Siesta flinched at the action, the sight causing Ryoga's gaze to soften a little. "Look, I'm sorry I broke the promise Siesta, I really am. But I have no intention of backing down from a Duel or losing to that playboy."

"Stop acting like an idiot already!" Louise screamed. "This is serious! A commoner can't beat a noble in battle!"

Ryoga's eyes narrowed on the pink-eyed girl. "And who made up that rule huh? Commoner this, noble that. All I've seen and heard since coming to this land is that you nobles have all the power and act like you're on top while those less fortunate have to serve you without question," Ryoga waved his hand to the side in anger "Who is to decide such a thing? Just because you have some magic shit in you and Siesta doesn't that suddenly makes you better than her? That suddenly means she isn't to be treated like a regular person? Don't fucking screw with me!"

"S-Shark-san?" Siesta uttered in surprise. Never in her life had she heard someone, noble or commoner alike, speak so open and defiantly about the ruling classes and how they worked.

She of course knew the injustice that all commoners faced, as well as personally experienced it many times herself, and wished to stand against it just as much as anyone else. Yet never had she been defended by someone so fiercely before. And for it to come from someone who she had only met the previous night, not only left her completely stunned, but for some reason made her heart skip a beat.

She wasn't the only one surprised though, as Louise looked to be in disbelief by what she was hearing. Magic was a gift of the founder, and only those who were blessed were born with it. That was the rule of the world. It wasn't her fault that those less fortunate were of the lower class. Sure she would admit that at times it was unjust at how the commoners were treated, but it was just how things had always been and there wasn't any way to change it.

Sure there were some nobles who weren't exactly pleasant people, but they weren't all like that! It wasn't fair to judge them all just because of the actions of a few, even if she partly knew she caused some of that judgment.

Shaking her head Louise tried to focus back on the real problem. "J-Just what are you saying? This has nothing to do with that! Whatever you may think of nobles and commoners, it has nothing to do with what's going on now! We can still stop this whole thing though if you just go to Guiche and apologize for-"

"I refuse."

The blunt statement took Louise aback. "W-What?"

Ryoga's brow narrowed into a firm glare. "Why should I apologize to some playboy brat who can't learn to keep it in his pants? Frankly I'll be doing this world a service by teaching him a lesson."

"Y-You idiot! You just don't get it do you!?" Louise shouted, her frustration reaching its' peak. "You can't win against Guiche! You'll lose! You'll lose and be hurt really badly if you go out there! You'll be lucky to even come back with just injuries alone!"

"Why do you care?"

Louise blinked. "Eh?"

Ryoga's gaze hardened and snapped directly onto Louise, making her flinch from the sight. "Why do you care huh? Just what does it matter to someone like you what happens to me huh?"

A strange flicker of emotion emitted in Louise's chest but she ignored it. "W-What do you mean why do I care? Of course I care! I can't just let you go out there and get yourself killed, after all you're-"

"I'm just your familiar, right?" Ryoga interrupted, his eyes turning ice cold. "That's really all I am in your mind aren't I? You don't even consider me human do you? To you I'm just some object or animal you want in your possession."

Another flicker, this time stronger.

"W-What? N-No! That's not even the point okay! I jus-"

"Oh bullshit!" Ryoga shouted, his vocal tone soaring to such levels it caught both girls off guard, even striking a bit of fear in them. "Don't try to fucking talk your way out of this! Truth is you could care less what happens to me! From what I've seen of your kind your pride is the most important thing to you! You wield power others don't and because of that you think it gives you some kind of special privilege! That you can just command and control people all while putting them down whenever you please! But when someone actually takes a stand, when that pride of yours is damaged, you suddenly become defensive and try to pin blame on others rather than take responsibility! You're even willing to hurt those who you think can't defend themselves!"

"T-That's not true!" Louise defended back, the feeling growing even worse. "We're not like that! I'm not like that! That's not-"

"Oh, so you're saying yesterday never happened, or did you forget your own fucking actions in summoning me!?" Ryoga growled.

"That wasn't my fault! I just wanted a familiar! I didn't-"

"I'M NOT YOUR DAMN FAMILIAR!"

Louise froze, a sharp jolt of pain striking right between her breast. Her eyes filled with hurt and confusion as her body took a step back from Ryoga, who looked at her with murderous rage, as well as new emotion she had never seen directed at her before.

Disgust.

Pure and utter disgust.

"I was never yours dammit! You brought me here against my will to make me a servant! A slave! A fucking pet to you!" Ryoga continued ranting, his anger and animosity taking full control by this point. "You may not have intentionally known that you'd summon another living person to serve you, but you sure as hell didn't act like you were sorry about it either! All you cared about was trying to bind me right away like a damn animal so I could start obeying you as soon as possible! You keep claiming I'm you're familiar, but I never fucking agreed to it on my end!"

"I…" Louise looked down, unable to hold her gaze. "I-I was just trying to-"

Ryoga didn't let up, all thoughts of mercy being wiped away from his mind. "You call yourself a noble, but to me I don't see a noble. All I see is some whiny stubborn brat trying to be bigger than she is. A brat who thinks she can do whatever the fuck she wants by yelling and screaming about it! A brat who is trying to prevent her reputation from being tarnished because your so-called 'familiar' is being disobedient right? Because if I do something that you don't like, it'll just reflect badly off you, right!?"

"T-That's not…I was-"

"You're just selfish! You're nothing but a selfish ignorant little kid who thinks she's better than everybody else because she has magic. That the world has to revolve around you because if it doesn't, then suddenly you lose all the power you had and become nothing. And because of that you're afraid that when word gets out that your 'familiar' has gone rouge, it'll ruin what stupid little pride you have and make you less of a person! RIGHT!?"

"I…" Louise began shaking. "I…"

"Well I can tell you this much, you don't need to ever worry about that ever again," Ryoga turned away and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Because I'm _not_ your familiar. And you are _not_ my master. I don't hold any ties to you or anything you do, nor will I ever. And you will never have to worry about me insulting or hurting your stupid noble ass," he tilted his head back to send one final glare at Louise. "So get off your hind horse, get off my damn back, AND LEAVE ME THE FUCK ALONE!"

The former Barian turned and stormed down the halls of the school, having nothing more to say to noble girl, and never once bothering to look back at her.

Siesta, who had been stunned silent since Shark-san's yelling, broke from her stupor and looked back and forth between him and Miss Valliere hesitantly, uncertain of what to do. After a moment of thought she gave a quiet apology to the pink-haired girl before racing off in the same direction as the boy.

"S-Shark-san wait!"

Leaving Louise to stand in the hallway in solitude.

* * *

As Siesta chased the non-familiar Louise stood in utter silence and stillness. But while her body was frozen, her mind was racing.

 _"How…How can he say such a thing?"_ Louise thought, her mind in complete shock at his words and her chest in inexplicable pain.

They hurt. She didn't understand why, but his words hurt. Dear Brimir they hurt so much, like a dagger shoved right between her breast. But they had also infuriated her.

Who was he to judge her? He didn't know her! He didn't know what her life was like or what sort of burden was on her shoulders! She was a Valliere, a daughter of one of the highest and most powerful royal families in the kingdom. He had no idea the pressure and responsibility that was placed upon her!

It was her duty to ensure that the honor and reputation of her family name was kept intact. She had to make sure she succeeded and made both her parents and sisters proud of her actions. She had to prove to everyone that she was a strong and powerful noble, worthy of carrying the family name upon her shoulders.

It was all that she had. All that she had ever really known. Her whole life she had grown up under the knowledge of what it meant to be a true noble and a powerful mage, and when given the chance to further her studies and grow as a person she always sought to push herself to the very best no matter the circumstance. It was why when she learned she had gotten accepted into the Tristain Academy of Magic, that she felt more excited and proud of herself than any other time before. This would be her big chance! This would be where she could finally prove herself and show the world what she was capable of. To show that Louise de La Valliere would be a name to remember for all times.

And yet when it came down to the wire, it didn't matter whether she was at the academy or at home, or how hard she tried or how much determination she had in her. Because it always ended the same.

Failure.

She could never wield her magic right. She could never find an affinity with any of the elements. She couldn't even cast a simple spell correctly. All she could do was create large explosions and destroy things. It was why she had been made fun of so much by the students and given that infamous nickname of hers.

Louise the Zero.

And it wasn't just the school either. Even her own family, the very ones she loved and wanted to make proud, looked down on her. Elenore would constantly belittle her magic and took to calling her by the same nickname as the students. Her mother and father were always saddened and disappointed with her, unsure of what to even do or if she would ever get any better. And Cattleya, the only one who never lost hope and encouraged her, was so sick and weak that she had to be confined to her bedroom and could barely be there for her younger sibling anymore.

In the end whether it was at home or at school, Louise always felt alone and felt the need to prove herself to everyone around her.

Which was why when she had first summoned the purple-haired boy, as frustrated and disappointed as she was with the situation, Louise couldn't help but be filled with absolute joy.

She finally succeeded! Where she had failed countless other times, after so long she had finally managed to pull off a spell correctly and summoned a familiar like everyone else! It may not have been what she wanted or expected, but it finally proved that she could use magic. It showed that she wasn't a failure after all, and that she could finally display that fact to herself and everyone else. That she could still bring honor and respect to her name and her family, and would no longer be called a _Zero_ ever again.

At least, that was what she hoped.

He didn't understand though! He didn't know what she went through with the other students or how she was treated. He didn't know how she was an absolute failure at magic, unable to cast a single spell correctly. He didn't know how she was labeled Zero! Because no matter what she did, no matter how hard she tried, no matter how much she struggled or pushed or hoped, she always failed.

So how? How could he possibly say such things to her when he didn't know anything at all!?

 _"But why would he?"_ A small part of Louise betrayed deep inside her. _"After the way I've treated him…after all I've said and done to him…why would he bother to know?"_

Louise hung her head, her hair falling over her eyes.

"Why…why would he care?"

The truth…the deep truth she had tried to bury…was that she had long since realized how horrible she had been in her actions since the summoning, but had tried to push it aside out of pride, just like he accused the nobles of doing. When she first considered getting a familiar she hadn't even fathomed the idea that she could summon another person. It was something that never happened before. Yet even when she saw it happen she immediately pushed aside any such notions of consequences because of her desire to have finally succeeded.

All of which he had been dead right about.

But then everything went wrong again. Her familiar was somehow dying and taken from her so the contract couldn't be completed. Then when he awoke he rejected the very idea to her face and enraged her so much that she lost control of herself again. And now…now he was going into a fight he couldn't possibly win, and would be lucky if he managed to even come out alive.

All while completely and utterly despising her and other nobles because of everything she did.

Yes the boy didn't exactly help make things easy, but she had been just as responsible for the events that occurred. She should have been calmer about the situation and controlled herself better. She should have just waited like Professor Colbert had told her too, and then approached the boy in a manner befitting of a Valliere and true noble, just like Cattleya and mother. Maybe if she had things wouldn't be as they were now. Maybe she would have a familiar at her side right now. Maybe there wouldn't be a duel about to take place that could take his life. Maybe she wouldn't be standing there in the hallway, confused, angry, hurt, and alone.

Maybe things would have been different.

But it was too late now. Her famil-

" _No…"_ Louise shook as her hand clutched over the pain in her chest. The pain in her heart. _"He…isn't my familiar."_

He was just someone who she had forcibly brought to serve her, stolen from whatever life he may have had without any consideration towards his side of things or what he would be feeling. And because of that he completely hated her for it. He despised her. He wanted nothing to do with her in any way, shape, or form and would possibly rather die than ever have any connection to her.

And strangely enough, as Louise fought back the wet feeling in her eyes, she was absolutely terrified by that fact.

* * *

"S-Shark-san, are you alright?" Siesta asked, watching the boy in front of her as he sat on one of the clinic beds and worked on a strangely shaped armguard.

"I told you I'm fine. No need to worry about me Siesta. I don't plan on losing to that two-timer," Ryoga responded back as he focused on the Duel Disk. He needed to check and make sure it was functioning properly before he headed out to face his opponent. Last thing you want is your equipment to suddenly break down when you need it most.

"That's…not entirely what I meant Shark-san," Siesta said quietly lowering her gaze.

A tick of annoyance escaped the Duelist mouth. He knew what she meant. He just didn't want to talk about it. Yet it seemed Siesta did.

"I can understand why you were so angry. I would have been just as upset had I been put into a similar circumstance against my will. But at the same time, what happened back there with Miss Valliere…don't you think you might have been a little too harsh on her?"

"Not harsh enough," Ryoga muttered. The statement saddened Siesta, yet despite his words the hidden eyes of the former Barian told an entirely different story.

Truth was he knew he had been over the top. He hadn't meant to come off so cruel, but with everything that had happened to him; being brought here, the nobles and their actions, the Duel, along with the memory of his first meeting with the girl still fresh in his mind, he wasn't exactly in the best of moods. Especially when it came to the pink chibi.

Still, as Siesta said he had gone too far. The last time he acted with such fury was because of Vector's actions and betrayal of the Barian Emperors. Watching as each of his friends were manipulated and died because of the power-obsessed traitor. However back then Ryoga had used his powers to help unleash his rage upon the traitor and eventually defeat him. He was able to make things right and avenge those who had suffered because of the madman, granting their very souls peace.

Here though, he had lashed out vocally in such a way that was surprising even for him. He had just been so caught up in his anger and grief, and Louise had unfortunately become the perfect outlet for him to take his rage out on.

It still didn't make it right.

"Why are you defending her though Siesta?" Ryoga suddenly inquired as he looked over to the maid. "And don't give me that 'she's a noble' bullshit. I can already guess how these so-called 'nobles' have treated you from how they've treated me all damn day. You serve these prideful idiots day and night and are barley given thanks for it. Hell to most of them you're nothing more than a damn ornament or toy to be tossed around and do with as they please. So how can you possibly stand up for someone like that with everything you've been through?"

Siesta's eyes widened in surprise before filling with sorrow as she looked away, the sight of which made Ryoga flinch and curse himself. He was still high on his emotions from his argument with the pinkette. He didn't mean to sound so blunt and harsh. The last thing he wanted was to upset one of the only people he actually liked in this place by being a dick and bringing up bad memories.

"Sorry," Ryoga apologized. "I didn't mean to-"

"I-It's alright Shark-san," Siesta spoke, her voice sad and quiet. "I mean…it's not like you're entirely wrong."

Ryoga's fist clenched a little. Siesta noticed the action but didn't say anything as she continued.

"It's true that there are many nobles who aren't kind to us commoners. Some are even downright cruel and punish us for simple mistakes or actions. It's not so bad here as compared to other places, but it doesn't make it easy when we're pushed around and belittled for our status and weakness. And compared to other places and nobles I've heard of, I count my blessing to have ended up here as I did," Siesta briefly paused in thought before sighing. "But…but despite everything I've been through, it's nothing compared to Miss Valliere. She may not be one of those kinds of nobles, but if I am to be honest, I feel more sorry for her than I do any of the staff who work here, myself included."

The statement caught Ryoga by surprise. "What do you mean?"

Siesta hesitated, unsure if she should say anything further. This was a personal matter for Miss Valliere after all, and telling it to someone who came from outside the academy could be seen as an invasion of privacy, even if that person was Shark-san. However, if he was informed on why the young noble acted the way she did, then maybe he would become a lot less antagonistic towards her. Maybe it could make things better.

At least that was what she hoped.

"Miss Valliere…she is not treated as well here as you may believe," Siesta spoke softly. Noting Shark-san's raised brow she knew she had his attention, and after a moment went on to explain. "As you know commoners can not use magic because we are not born with it. It is what separates us from the noble class and why they are treated with such higher respect and worth, as well as the reason why we are treated as second-class. Yet as I understand it, despite being born with magic like any other noble, Miss Valliere is unable to use it at all."

Ryoga's eyes widened. "What?"

Siesta nodded. "It's true. I've heard the whispers and even seen the explosions around the academy. From what I know they are caused by Miss Valliere because she is unable to cast a single spell correctly. No matter how simple or complicated it is, they always seem to result in large explosions that destroy everything around them. In fact it was a surprise to everyone that she managed to succeeded in summoning you here at all Shark-san, especially since I heard the ritual ended in an explosion anyways," Siesta paused and looked down again, her eyes filled with what Ryoga could only assume was sympathy. "And yet it doesn't change the fact that Miss Valliere is constantly mistreated and mocked by her classmates. I always see them laughing at or ridiculing her whenever given a chance, and as far as I know she doesn't have a single friend throughout the entire school to stand by her. It is also because of her failures that the students have given her the rather cruel nickname 'Zero Louise'. Because according to them no matter how hard she tries, she will always fail at everything she does and never become a true mage."

She turned her gaze back to Shark-san to judge his reaction, only to see his eyes hidden by the shadows of his hair, though his face retained the same calm expression as always. After a minute of no reaction or response, he turned is back to the maid once more and continued working on his Duel Disk. Siesta was saddened by the action and looked away.

"I…I'm sorry Shark-san. I didn't mean to push these thoughts onto you or question your feelings on the matter, especially with your own worries to deal with," Siesta held her hands over her heart tightly. "This duel… I know I can't stop you from backing out of it. Even if I begged I have a feeling you'd say no, and as terrified as I am for your life, I will be there to support you and stand by your side even if no one else will. I just thought you should know that despite everything that has happened, Miss Valliere is not as cruel as she seems, and has suffered just as much as any of us commoners, myself included. And if you ask me, I believe the only reason she acts as she does is out of fear and loneliness. Because all she has ever had to rely on or trust in is herself. And because…" Siesta's hands tightened. "Because I know I would have done the same were I in her shoes…"

Silence filled the room once more, with neither Duelist nor maid looking at each other. It was then swiftly broken by a loud clicking sound.

"Siesta."

The maid nearly jumped at the boy's voice and looked up to face him again. "Y-Yes?"

"Which way is the Vestri Court?"

* * *

"You found nothing then?" Osmond asked Professor Colbert, the bald man standing before him with several large tomes in hand.

"Sadly not," Colbert confirmed as he placed the books down. "I spent most of the night searching for human familiars, but I couldn't find anything helpful. I'm sure if I knew what runes would appear on Mister Ryoga I could figure something out, but well..." Colbert trailed off.

"But the boy refuses to become a full familiar," Osmond finished with a heavy sigh.

"If it's not too troubling to ask, what exactly do we plan to do?" Colbert asked while he adjusted his glasses. "We've never had a human familiar in this school before, let alone one who has refused the contract. If he continues this way and keeps rejecting the idea of becoming Miss Valliere's familiar, will it become a problem for her time here?"

Osmond hummed in thought as he sat back in his seat and closed his eyes. "That boy, he has a strong conviction. He isn't someone who can be forced to do something against his will. Even if we tried forcing the familiar contract on him, it would only cause him to resent Miss Valliere and this school even more, and he would more than likely consider us his enemies."

Colbert frowned, not liking the idea of putting the young boy into such a situation. "But then what do we do?"

Before Osmond could reply the doors to the office burst open as Miss Longueville ran in panting. "Old Osmond, there's trouble in the courtyard! A duel is taking place!"

Osmond and Colbert's eyes both widened. "What!?"

* * *

"My my, such a large crowd we have here. That familiar sure knows how to make things entertaining," Kirche commented as she leaned against the large outer wall of the school and watched the crowd of nobles gathered around. Of all the things she could have anticipated happening, this would be at the bottom of her list. "I wonder what'll happen. Any opinions Tabitha?"

Beside Kirche stood another girl. She had short blue hair that seemed to reach just past her face, and matching colored eyes that were focused on the book in her hands. A pair of reading glasses could also be seen on her face, and behind the girl leaning against the wall was a large wooden curved stave. Outside of that she wore a school uniform and black cape just like Kirche, signifying her as a second-year.

The girl, Tabitha as she was addressed, didn't respond to Kirche's question however as she merely turned a page in her book.

"Well, you always did like to play the odds," Kirche joked. The sound of cheers and excitement quickly caught her attention causing her to look at the crowd and smile at the sight. "Ah, and there is the man of the hour now."

The circle of nobles opened up a path at one end of the ring allowing Ryoga to calmly walk forward with hands in pocket and eyes faced front. The circle quickly re-closed behind him blocking Siesta, forcing her to take a spot behind several of the students as she watched worriedly with her hands held together in prayer.

"Shark-san..."

From another side of the ring a certain first-year also watched the event unfold. Katie had been crying her eyes out from the betrayal that was revealed until she caught wind that Sir Gu-…that _Guiche_ , had challenged the Ryoga boy to a duel. She couldn't believe it herself and had come to see if the rumors were true. Yet now watching as Ryoga stepped forward, the brunette began wishing they hadn't been.

As much as she wanted to blame the boy for his involvement in her broken heart, she knew he was only exposing the truth to her about Si- _Guiche's_ actions. Plus he helped her out earlier by escorting her to the table and had been very kind and enjoyable in conversing with, proving that he wasn't a bad person. So she was terrified of the fact he was now going to get hurt in this fight that she had helped caused.

"Mister Ryoga..."

Ryoga finally stopped near the center of the man-made ring, his eyes gluing themselves to the form of Guiche, who stood at the other end with his arms crossed, a rose in one hand and an arrogant smirk etched on his face.

"You showed up after all. I at least compliment you for not running away when you had the chance," Guiche spoke, having now regained his confidence and pride.

He admitted he had been caught off guard earlier by the commoner's reaction and response to his challenge, but had quickly gotten over it and prepared himself. He wasn't going to let this fool get off easy for insulting him, oh no. After all he had an audience watching, so he needed to put on a show.

A show they would never forget.

Ryoga's eyes narrowed but he remained calm and focused. "I never back down from a Duel. And I would never run away from someone like you."

Guiche chuckled. "So I see. In that case let's not waste any time and-"

"WAIT!"

The two boys broke their stare-down as everyone's gazes was drawn towards the sudden shout. From a corner of the crowd all eyes watched as a figure moved through the pack of nobles, pushing and shoving aside everyone as it did. After a few seconds the figure finally entered the open ring, turning Ryoga's expression from confused to surprised.

"You?"

The figure was Louise, who ignored Ryoga and focused her attention on Guiche. "Guiche, you have to stop this now! You know duels are prohibited in this school!"

Guiche snapped out of his own surprise and shrugged. "What is forbidden are duels between nobles. He is merely a commoner so there is no problem here."

"T-That's only because we've never had anything like this happen before though," Louise replied as she looked over towards Ryoga, who simply stood in silence watching, his face unreadable.

"Hmmm, could it be?" Guiche spoke with a curious tone. "Louise, have you actually had your heart moved by this commoner?"

Louise gaped at the question. Her face turned beat red before she snapped angrily. "W-WHO WOULD HAVE SOMETHING LIKE THAT HAPPEN!? Don't be ridiculous! I just don't want to see my familiar spirit get beaten up is all!"

A slight twitch of Ryoga's brow was the only visible reaction seen from him.

"Whether you say to stop or not that commoner has already accepted my challenge. There is no stopping this fight," Guiche declared with a shake of his head. He stopped though as a thought entered his mind. "Unless…"

Louise frowned. "Unless what?"

Guiche grinned and pointed his rose towards Ryoga. "How about this. If you and that commoner both bow down and apologize to me, I may just be willing to forget this little incident."

Ryoga's eyes narrowed while Louise looked taken aback. "Wha-why should I do that!? I could understand him as he may have started this, but why should I have to bow to you as well!?"

"Is it not the fault of the master as well if the familiar does something wrong?" Guiche said mockingly as he brushed aside his hair. "You are just as responsible for this mess for having such a disobedient familiar. As such, it is only right that you _both_ apologize to me and admit your mistakes, is it not?"

Louise grit her teeth and looked away. It was true, the actions of a familiar, even a non-one, reflected off the master. Because of this Guiche had a point in what he said in that she was at as much fault for this event, but what he was asking was too much. She would be throwing away her pride and honor as a noble if she accepted this. But if she didn't, her fami-

... _he_...would be hurt badly.

"So what shall it be Zero Louise?" Guiche asked with a smirk. "It is rather simple after all. All you both have to do is get on your knees, bow your heads, and say 'I'm sorry Sir Guiche'. Do this, and I shall forget this whole thing ever happened."

Louise bit her lip as she looked at Guiche, who simply stood there smiling that damn smile of his. She wasn't sure what to do. To accept and throw away her pride as a noble, or refuse and watch the person she summoned be crushed? She could feel the stares and whispers of the crowd, and could feel herself shaking in uncertainty and fear. And because of this the pinkette turned her attention towards the one person she feared the reaction of most, in hopes she would know the answer then.

However, when Louise's pink eyes met Ryoga's ocean blue, the young noble found herself frozen once more.

But this time it felt different.

As she stared into the sea of the purple-colored boy's gaze, Louise didn't feel the anger or hatred from earlier. She didn't experience the level of disgust or loathing that had struck at her heart. She didn't feel the cold chilling gaze that froze her solid and made her feel fearful and weak.

No, there was none of that. This time something different was swimming in those eyes of the boy she had summoned. Something she didn't recognize or understand, but for some reason seemed to calm her heart and lessen her fear.

 _"Why?"_ Louise thought confused as the two of them continued to look at nothing else save each other. _"He was so angry with me earlier. He hated me,_ despised _me even, and wanted nothing to do with me. So why? Why are his eyes so different now? Why isn't he glaring at me like before? Why don't I feel afraid anymore? Why do I…"_

Louise's heart seemed to pulse again, not from pain this time however as she rested a hand above it.

" _Why do I-_

"Well? Are you going to apologize already or not? What is your answer Zero Louise?" Guiche's voice called out, having lost some of his patience.

Louise broke from her thoughts and looked over to the blonde noble and his irritated face. Glancing back once more at Ryoga, the pink haired girl's mind came to a resolution as her fear and uncertainty evaporated, and was replaced by something else entirely. Taking a deep breath she gathered herself and stood firmly before speaking in a firm and clear voice.

"I refuse."

The entire crowd gasped. Guiche himself flinched back, feeling his pride be struck. "I-I'm sorry? Could you repeat that?"

"Do you have earwax stuck in that brain of yours? I thought I made myself clear," Louise spoke turning to Guiche and declaring once again. "I refuse. I will not bow to you. Not now, not ever. Nor shall my familiar for that fact."

Guiche's expression swiftly shifted to anger. "What?"

"Who do you think you are, Guiche de Gramont, to order me around?" Louise asked with a brush of her hair and loud scoff. "I am Louise de La Valliere, of the Valliere family! Do you really think I would ever bow to someone like you just because you got caught chasing skirts? Have you no sense in taking responsibility for your own actions? Clearly you have spent too much time putting on make up and perfume and have poisoned that poor brain of yours. Not that there was much too it already."

Laughter broke through the courtyard as Guiche's grip tightened on his rose. "You dare!"

Louise didn't stop as she pointed at him. "Listen well Guiche! My familiar may have spoken out wrongly. He may have been disobedient. And he may be a rude, egotistical, stupid, callous and stubborn commoner."

Louise paused and turned to face Ryoga, her expression softening.

"But he...he's still my familiar" Louise said gently, her eyes showing emotions she couldn't show or say. Instead she turned back to Guiche with confidence and pride. "And whether he has done something wrong or not, I have complete faith in him! Just as I have complete faith in myself! And as such, just as I will not bow to you, neither shall he! So do your best Guiche de Gramont, because by the end of this duel it will be my familiar spirit who stands on top, and you who will be apologizing to me!"

A loud roar of cheers erupted from the crowd of nobles and servants. The sheer display alone from Louise had riled up their blood and excited them! This was going to make the fight all the better now that the Zero herself had called Guiche out and said her familiar would win.

Against the wall Kirche chuckled amused. "Well well, never knew Louise had that much bite to her. I'm actually impressed."

Tabitha simply turned another page in her book.

In the crowds Siesta looked stunned and surprised by the declaration, but also happy. Katie meanwhile stared in amazement and awe at Louise's declaration.

And as for Ryoga, although it could barely be seen, the corner of his lips seemed to curve up ever so slightly.

Guiche however was furious. The Zero dared to mock him further? She dared to make him look bad in front of everyone just like the damn commoner had? He had been insulted twice now, _twice_ in one day! He would not stand for this! He was a Gramont dammit, and he would teach them respect!

As he thought about ways to make them pay, a certain memory hit the blonde's head, causing a wicked smirk appeared on his face. "Your familiar spirit will win you say? What an odd choice of words. Considering what I've heard about you and your 'familiar'."

Louise looked surprised while Ryoga's eyes narrowed. The crowd around the trio just looked at each other confused.

"Hey, what is Guiche talking about?"

"Not sure. Think he's trying to save face or something?"

Louise could hear the muttering sounds but ignored them all, as for some reason she felt her heart drop suddenly.

"W-What do you mean?" She asked a bit nervously.

Guiche chuckled. He honestly hadn't planned to use this piece of information so soon. He had planned to find the perfect time to use it against the Zero. To bring utter shame and despair to that damn failure and her worthless familiar and enjoy every moment of it to the fullest. But his pride had now been damaged twice. First by the commoner, and now by Louise. He had had enough, and with this revelation he would completely destroy the commoner and be hailed as the one who finally put the Zero in her place.

Two birds, one stone.

Guiche directed his attention to the crowd as he opened his arms and eyes in a dramatic display. "My fellow nobles, hear me now as I have a story to tell you all! About a Zero and her so called 'familiar'!"

The crowd listened curiously while Louise's fear rose.

"As you have all heard, Louise has declared that her familiar will win this fight against me. That same familiar stands before us today against me, Guiche de Gramont, in a duel he himself accepted despite his master's orders not to," Guiche announced with a smile that seemed far too innocent to be normal. "Is that not strange though? Louise gives full consent now for the duel, but before that her familiar had defied her own orders and come here against her will. A bit odd wouldn't you agree?"

The confused mutters of the crowd filled the air.

"I mean why would the familiar act on his own hmm? Why would Louise suddenly give her approval now when before her own familiar had defied her orders when she said no?" Guiche questioned as he theatrically shut his eyes and waved the rose in his hand. "Quite simple. As we all know, it is impossible for a familiar to defy a direct order from their master because of the contract. It is the symbol of our bond and the sign of our trust in one another. When a direct order is given, the familiar is unable to disobey it because it is the role of the contract to ensure the safety and lives of both the noble and their familiar under any circumstance. As such they understand this and acknowledge their roles within the contract, because they are important to us as we are to them."

Guiche's eyes opened as his gaze honed on Louise and his lips split into a dark grin.

"However, what happens if a contract is never made?"

Louise's heart felt as if it stopped.

No. No that wasn't possible.

There was no way Guiche could have found out right? He was just trying to mess with her was all! There was no way he could have known!

The question meanwhile caused many other reactions from the crowd as well, as everyone whispered and muttered about what Guiche meant. Kirche and Katie both looked very curious while Tabitha remained the same. Siesta however gasped in horrific realization while Ryoga's eyes hardened.

Seeing the reactions of everyone around Guiche let out a quiet chuckle before continuing. "Ladies and gentleman, a secret I have for you all. One that will be shared for years to come at this school. For you see, our _dear_ Louise de La Valliere-"

"Shut up," Louise muttered.

"The failure of the academy. The Zero herself-"

"Shut up!" Louise voice rose as she began shaking.

"Has done the impossible again! And this time better than ever! For you see, ladies and gentlemen, the reason the commoner familiar defied the orders of his master, Louise de La Valliere-"

"SHUT UP! JUST STOP IT!"

"Was because she is not his master! The commoner has no rune signs on him, no signs of the contract, nothing to symbolize himself as Louise's! That's right! The Zero may have summoned a familiar," Guiche's grin turned wicked. "BUT SHE HAS FAILED TO COMPLETE THE FAMILIAR CONTRACT!"

* * *

Silence.

Utter silence was what echoed over the courtyard. Silence over the sheer disbelief and revelation spoken from Guiche's mouth.

That silence lasted for all of five seconds.

"What? Now freaking way!"

"He's joking right? Even the Zero isn't that bad right?"

"I don't know man, look at her. She seems really freaked out doesn't she?"

"Oy Zero, say it ain't so!"

Louise heard them all but found her voice vacant. Her body shook but was frozen in place as her eyes filled with dread and her heart sank with horror.

How? How had Guiche found out? How had he discovered that information? She hadn't told anyone! She hadn't spoken to a soul!

So how!?

"No way," Kirche whispered in disbelief. "Louise never made the contract?"

Tabitha paused in her turning of the page as her eyes glanced up to the pink-haired girl.

"Miss Valliere," Siesta looked at the scene with sorrow and guilt. She wanted to help, to do something. But she was just a maid. There was nothing she could do to for the young noble in a situation like this. It just added more to her reasons of hating the differences between commoners and nobles.

She couldn't help when it mattered most.

Katie also stared at Louise in complete shock. She felt sorry for the girl, but even she was as stunned as everyone else. Never before had she heard of a noble not completing the contract with their familiar before. And the fact the familiar was Mister Ryoga of all people made her confused. If he wasn't bound to the second-year, then he had the freedom to do as he wished yes? He had no obligation to this school, or to Louise, or the duel.

Or helping her.

Yet he had done so. He had chosen to help her find Sir G-, _Guiche_ , when she asked him too, and had exposed the cruel truth to her. And while she was still hurt by the knowledge, she realized that had he not done so Guiche might have been able to deceive her further and she would have been blinded by her feelings for the noble, which would have led to an even worse heartbreak. Yet it didn't happen because Mister Ryoga helped her see what was happening when he had no reason too.

But why?

"A shame Louise," Guiche spoke again, his voice brimming with joy as his lips possessed a victorious smile. "You know I had planned to keep this little secret to myself and savor the pleasure personally, but I figure, why not spread the word? After all we always knew you were a failure, but this? This goes beyond being a Zero. Not even completing a contract with your own familiar? That's worse than any Zero, that's as good as being nothing," Guiche blinked and suddenly laughed. "Hahaha! That's a good one actually. Congratulations Louise, from this day forward you are no longer a Zero. Instead, you've now become _nothing_! You're not a mage, you're not a noble, you're not even a failure! You're just nothing!"

The crowd's mutters got louder as they began to nod in agreement.

"Hahaha, he's right!"

"Wow, to think the Zero could actually get worse!"

"Nothing Louise huh? Or would it be Louise the Nothing? Kinda catchy!"

"Oy Nothing!"

"Hey Nothing!"

"Louise the Nothing!"

"Nothing Louise!"

Louise fell to her knees as her hands dug into the dirt. The crowd didn't notice or seem to care as they continued to loudly mock and chant at the pinkette who felt her spirit shatter.

It was over. Her pride, her hope, her time at the academy. It was all over. She had been exposed, revealed to the world that she had done the impossible. That she had gone beyond simple failure and couldn't even complete a contract with her own familiar. Such shame was unsalvageable.

What was she to do? Soon word would spread of this all across the land and reach her own family. She could never face them again. The shame she would bring if she ever went home would be too much for her to take. They would strip her of her name instantly if she stepped foot on the premise, if they didn't already do so when they heard of this. She could never return there.

But she couldn't stay either. The whole academy would know of her failure in a matter of hours. Everything she had gone through as a Zero, it would be nothing compared to what they would do now! The laughter, the insults, it would only get worse from this point on. She wouldn't be able to take it all in like before, not like this. Not to this level of cruelty.

She was trapped. There was no way out. Dying would be a better choice than living with this shame! But she didn't want to die either. She didn't want to die for something just to escape the shame she had. There was no honor in it, just cowardice.

Which meant she had no answer. No solution. No hope.

Nothing…just like they had called her.

Louise's teeth grit tightly as tears began to pour from her face. The sounds of laughter and mocks from the nobles continued to pollute her ears and break her soul as she remained frozen to her spot on the ground. And as the laughter continued, Louise felt a dark and familiar feeling roll across her form, causing her to slowly look up.

And there they were.

Those glowing eyes. Those terrifying eyes that haunted her dreams. That tormented her every night.

And now they were laughing as well. Laughing at her failure. Laughing at the Zero. At the Nothing.

 **"NOTHING!"**

"Stop it," Louise begged.

 **"NOTHING!"**

"Stop it! Please!"

 **"NOTHING!"**

"Someone, anyone, please!"

 **"ZERO THE NOTHING!"**

Louise's eyes clenched as she grabbed her head and screamed.

"MAKE IT STOP!"

 **BAM!**

The laughter and mocks suddenly ceased as loud gasp filled the air. Louise didn't realize at first, but when she did her eyes slowly opened, confused by the silence. Why had they-

"Ahhh my face! My beautiful face! Gahaaaaa!"

Louise looked towards the sound and her gaze caught sight of Guiche as he rolled on the ground clutching his face in pain.

What just happened? Why was he-

"You alright?"

Louise jumped at the sudden voice next to her, her head snapping to the owner only for her watery eyes to widen at the sight.

"Y-You?" Louise hiccupped as Ryoga leaned down in front of her. Cupping her chin with his left hand he reached into his pocket with the other and pulled out what looked to be a handkerchief, as he suddenly began cleaning Louise's face. "W-What are y-"

"Honestly, you're such a pain in the ass," Ryoga muttered as he wiped away the snot and tears. "You're loud, annoying, prideful, rude, demanding, and you have the personality of a damn crocodile. It's a wonder you've lasted this long without someone babying you all the damn time."

"W-Why-" Louise tried to utter only to stop as Ryoga wiped her nose. She tried to speak again but found her voice still chocked up from sobs, and so she just sat there as the Duelist cleaned her.

"But…" Ryoga finished the cleaning and pocketed the handkerchief. He then raised his right hand and, much to Louise's surprise, placed it on her head as she felt him rub her scalp gently. "Unlucky for me, you remind me too much of an idiot I knew back home. Loud, stubborn, annoying, and a failure of a guy just like you. But he also never quit, and kept trying to prove himself to everyone despite the odds always stacked against him. And sadly, I couldn't let him be on his own either."

Louise gasped as she witnessed Ryoga's lips suddenly curl and smile at her. Actually _smile_. There was no anger, no hate, no disgust, nothing hidden within the expression he gave her.

Just…something else…

Completely speechless by the action Louise didn't respond or make any noise when Ryoga stood up and looked towards the crowd.

"Siesta!"

Siesta jumped at being suddenly called out before making her way through the crowd. "Y-Yes Shark-san?"

"Take care of her would you? I have a Duel to get too," Ryoga said as he turned back towards Guiche. Siesta nodded and knelled beside Louise, both girls turning to watch as the purple-clad boy approached the noble.

"Y-You damn commoner!" Guiche shouted as he finally stood from the ground, clutching his face as he did. "How dare you throw a rock at me! Do you have any-"

"Shut up."

Guiche, as well as every other noble in the crowd flinched back fearfully at the tone emitting from the commoner's mouth as he slowly walked forward.

"You know, I _really_ hate you nobles," Ryoga spoke coldly, his eyes boring into Guiche with a dangerous glare. "Those with magic have power while everyone else is lesser than them? It sickens me. You all treat the world like it's your plaything and think you can step on whomever you want just because of your name and magic. Your pride is the most important thing to you, and when it's hurt even the tiniest bit you do whatever it takes to destroy whatever hurt it, regardless of it it's another person. Like a little brat who's lost their toy."

Ryoga's fist clenched tightly together.

"And the common-folk? They have to suffer and do your biding just because they weren't born with your special power. And because of that you think you can do whatever you want to them and get away with it? Such bullshit."

Ryoga stopped walking as he now stood in the center of the ring. He turned his eyes towards the sky, focusing on the clear blue color and clouds that circled around in it.

"I can't stand this world's way of thinking. And I can't stand you _fucking_ nobles. Hell the whole time I've been here I've only met two people in which I can safely say I enjoyed my time with. One being a maid who defines what being a true noble is more than any of you. And the other a noble herself, but one who was kind and sweet and wasn't anything like the rest. Only to have her heart broken because of a bastard like you. Someone like her, she doesn't deserve to be labeled in the same category as you!

Katie brought a hand to her chest as she watched Ryoga with warm eyes.

"So yeah, I really don't like you nobles. And I really, _really_ don't like how this world works," Ryoga paused and closed his eyes. "But you know...there's one thing I actually hate more than you idiot nobles."

Guiche growled and clenched his rose tightly. "Oh? And what's that commoner?"

Ryoga stood in silence as one hand reached into his pocket while the other slid behind his back.

 _"P-Please Shark, don't take my deck!"_

 _"Stop! That's my father's card!"_

 _"No, don't destroy them! Please!"_

 _"What do you think you're doing? Give it back!"_

"What I hate most of all…" Ryoga's head snapped down as his eyes opened up to reveal absolute fury. "ARE FUCKING BULLIES LIKE YOU!"

Ryoga suddenly withdrew a large metal plate from his pocket and hurled it into the air.

"DUEL DISK, SET!"

The plate suddenly clicked and snapped as a segmented joint ejected from one side of it and open outwards, forming a T-shaped wing. As the plate flew Ryoga drew his other hand from behind to reveal a dark blue arm gauntlet with a black glass screen on it, as he swiftly slid it onto his left arm and raised it to the sky, causing the T-shaped plate to suddenly fly down and attach itself to the gauntlet like a piece of armor.

"W-What is this?" Guiche stepped back shocked. He wasn't the only one as the entire crowd looked on in amazement.

"D-GAZER, SET!"

Ryoga suddenly threw up a small white and purple metal shard with a small yellow spike at one end. Suddenly the shard clicked and seemed to unfold itself into a long crescent curved-shape, while a purple piece of glass became exposed. Catching it Ryoga placed the strange curved shard over his left ear, allowing the glass to rest securely across his left eye.

"DUEL TARGET, LOCK-ON!"

The glass seemed to light up as rows of strange text and colors floated around it. After a few moments the light stopped as Ryoga held his left arm up in front of him, along with the Duel Disk now attached to it.

Guiche stood completely baffled by the strange new items Ryoga had equipped. What was all this? Had this commoner somehow come into possession of some armor or weapons? When did he have the time to get such things!?

Shaking out of his stutter the blonde playboy growled and held up his rose. "No more words then. Very well. It's time then for you to be taught a lesson in respect commoner!"

"The only lesson being taught today," Ryoga declared fiercely. "Will be what happens when you piss off a shark!"

Near the edge of the ring Louise's eyes widened, as she watched the boy who was to be her familiar stand with such confidence and strength.

And as the crowd cheered on in excitement and anticipation, Kamishiro Ryoga shouted the one word he had been waiting to say since this whole thing started, never noticing his Barian pendant flicker in a crimson glow.

"DUEL!"

* * *

 **Hi guy! It's me! Hope you guys had a good and enjoyable week!**

 **...And yes I'm kinda a dick for that ending. Hehe, sorry sorry. But when I was writing the story it just felt perfect to end it hear and declare the next chapter to the entire duel itself, which I hope you guys will love.**

 **That being said...I have some bad news.**

 **You see this month I'm going to be swamped with more work and projects than I had anticipated, which will take up a lot of spare time. Heck just positing this one was hard to squeeze in as it was. As it is I don't know when I'll be able to post the next chapter \/.\/**

 **It sucks because I really want to post it so badly, but I got to take care of my work first. sorry guys.**

 **Still, I will do my best to get it up when I can. Also the future chapter I'm writing is in a similar state so wish me luck with balancing everything.**

 **Now onto reviews and...huh, that's a lot more than usual.**

 **Well okay then, basic answers it will be!**

 **Guest: Haha, sorry man but that will be next chapter...which I don't know when will be up so sorry. Hope you like this one though.**

 **kryuzei: Won't give away too much, but let's not forget duels in Halkeginia are not exactly the same sort of duels in the Yu-Gi-Oh! world.**

 **TFOJ: First, I don't drink but thanks you anyways :P. Second, hope you enjoyed the reveal and what I did this chapter. As for your question, I can't give away too much of my future plans, but considering the route Arc-V is going down, I have a lot of interesting ideas in my head for the future.**

 **duskrider: Thanks bro! V ^.^.**

 **KisaragiKei: Firstly, welcome to the group. Second, I really appreciate the review. It's true not many people have someone reject the contract, most likely because there's no idea where the story would go. However as we both know, Ryoga would never accept something like slavery, especially since he had been forced to do something against his will twice before by others like a slave. And considering how he was a king, I doubt he'd ever approve of something like this. As you said, it's perspective that matters. Who cares about a familiar contract when you've been brought to another world against your will, especially when you were meant to die! It means nothing to convince with a minor piece of proof when the majority is far to different. So yeah, expect Ryoga to look at this world with a LOT of different views and acts because of it.**

 **Hope you enjoy this chapter just as much and enjoy what I got planned. Welcome aboard friend ^.^.**

 **Touhou is Life: I think I misunderstood the first question, but to answer it, the item that will appear in the exhibition/forquet arc will be from Ryoga's world. Whether it will be a "staff of destruction" or "disc of the familiar" (which I don't know what is) is still in air, though I got 2 good ideas.**

 **As for shippings...well here's the thing. I certainly don't disapprove of shippings, especially if done right and feel well. The thing is though Ryoga isn't one for romance and won't be looking for anything like that anytime soon. Now does this mean there won't be romance? No, but at the moment I'm still tossing my head around for what possible pairings I could develop, with who, and if they would even work. But rest assured I do have plans for future of it, just not sure yet.**

 **And Sekishiki: Haha, glad you like Ryoga being his bossily self. To be honest I had considered Kaito for another story idea in another world, buuuuut at the moment I'm struggling enough with 1 story, real life, and what i could even do with that idea. Mizael's actually one I didn't consider, but certainly something to keep in mind for future. But glad you approve and hope you enjoy this one as well.**

 **Well that's all the reviews. Gah a lot more than usual, haha. But I'm happy either way.**

 **So since I have no idea when next post will be, I want some opinions and thoughts from you guys.**

 **1: What kind of pairings/romance would you like to see in this story? Give a good reason for it though as I won't just accept random thoughts without at least an explanation.**

 **2: Since my story will be quite long with a lot of plans and ideas, some of which i haven't fully flushed out yet, I want to hear about your own story ideas or ideas, or even any you may want to see about this one. Feel free to share and let me know either in comments or in a private message if you want.**

 **3: Have you all seen the news about the new Yu-Gi-Oh! movie? If so what's your opinions. If not check it out. It's called "The Darkside of Dimensions".**

 **And 4:...anyone know how to make good Tonkotsu ramen and how? o.O**

 **Anyways, hope you guys have a great day. See you as soon as I can, which will hopefully be before the end of the month.**

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	11. Duel!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

* * *

Dueling.

A word well known back in the world of Kamishiro Ryoga.

It was a word used to describe the art of battle between two or more people through skill and strength, in order to test their resolve and prove themselves. It has existed since even the early ages years of his home, and the dawn of mankind's reign. Though back then it had been fought with dark magic and stone tablets, and not treated as a card game like it was now.

In the society Ryoga grew up in, card games had become the most popular form of entertainment and competition around the world for millions of people. The most popular of which was a Duel Monsters, a game where people Dueled each other using Magic, Traps, and Monster cards of different kinds to compete and become the best.

The title of "Duelist" was for those who went beyond the game itself and hoped to change their lives through the cards themselves. Whether it be to go become a professional Duel Monster's champion, to teach the game in private schools, or even help to improve the game itself. The latter of which being the most important due to how much the game had changed from being a simple card game into something more.

The popularity of Duel Monsters had been so grand that many years back a company called Industrial Illusions had taken the next step to improving it. Through the workings of advanced and experimental technology, the company created the world famous Hard Light System, allowing players for the first time to be able to bring to life the very cards using holographic imagery and three-dimensional modeling textures. This new form of entertainment revolutionized the game forever, and brought Duel Monsters to a whole new level.

But it didn't stop there. Not more than a few years after the birth of Hard Light, another company by the name of Kaiba Corporation took the technology one step further. Working together with Industrial Illusions the two companies managed to produce an even more advanced version of the Hard Light System, and paired it together with the birth of the now widespread and world famous device known as the Duel Disk. A mobile piece of equipment that easily fit onto a person's arm, it used the new and advanced version of the Hard Light System created by Industrial Illusions and Kaiba Corp, but now allowed people all around the world to have access to the wonders of Dueling at any place, anytime, anywhere.

It was also the same device Ryoga wore on his left arm.

While many ages had gone and passed and technology continue to improve the way the game was played, Dueling was something Ryoga had known and mastered in every single one of his lives. Even in his first life where Dueling was used with magic and stone, he had quickly become profound in the art and been renowned as a prodigy throughout the land. To him it didn't matter if he was human or Barian, because either way he was a Duelist at heart, and he would never back down from a challenge.

But just because he was a Duelist back in his world, didn't mean it was the treated as the same thing in this one.

His opponent, the two-timing playboy Guiche, was a noble. And while he cared little for that, he did not let it blind him to the fact his opponent had magic under his belt.

Magic. A word Ryoga was quite familiar with in both his first life and that of a Barian. While he had only ever used it for destructive purposes, he held a strong respect and fear for the power and the dangers it had. And for this world to be full of people able to use such a power, it made the Duelist a little more anxious than he would have liked. While his Duel Disk and deck had been brought with him to this world, he was also human again. Meaning he didn't have access to his old powers and thus, he didn't possess the ability to bring his cards to life. Sure he could use the Duel Disk to still activate the cards, but the fact remained that anything he played would only be a holographic image made from hardened light.

They couldn't hurt anybody.

 _"And besides,"_ Ryoga lifted the Duel Disk to chest level, his eyes keeping a firm watch on the blond in front of him. _"Before I try anything else, I need to see just how the magic of this world works and how it's used in a Duel. Only then can I have an idea of how to fight back."_

"I admit your armor is a bit strange commoner. But if you think that will be enough to defeat me, you're wrong," Guiche declared. He then waved the rose in hand letting a single petal fall from it.

The moment the petal touched the ground a bright light appeared from it and quickly spread across the grassy surface, and from the light what looked to be a sort of metal golem emerged from the ground. It's armor and size put it slightly taller than Guiche, as it held a spear in its' right hand nearly the size of its' body, which was femininely shaped and had a pair of decorative wings attached to the helm.

"My runic name is Guiche the Bronze. Therefore this bronze valkyrie shall be your opponent!" Guiche announced.

Ryoga ignored the boasting and stayed focused as he looked over the summon. "So this is the magic of this world huh?"

Seemed a bit like Duel Monsters to him. Maybe this wouldn't be so h-

Ryoga's eyes widened as his body instinctively lunged to the left, just barley moving out of the way as a large metal fist appeared in the spot he was just in.

"Shark-san!" Siesta shouted fearfully as she watched the boy avoid the strike.

"Oh? So you managed to dodge that huh?" Guiche mocked. He was certainly surprised by the quick reflexes his opponent had, not expecting the commoner to dodge his valkyrie, but didn't let it get to him. Instead he found it amusing and waved his rose some more. "Let's see how well you can dance then."

Ryoga let out a curse as the valkyrie charged again. Keeping his eyes on the sentinel he jumped back and dodged another punch. However the valkyrie kept up the momentum and continued to send a series of punches at the Duelist, forcing him to back away and keep dodging the attacks of the metal summon. As he kept being pushed back Ryoga noticed he was running out of room due the surrounding crowd and stopped in place. As the valkyrie charged once more Ryoga took a chance and let his body fall to the ground, quickly rolling underneath the bronze golem's attack before pushing himself up and slamming a powerful kick on the side of the valkyrie's body, sending it hurtling to the ground.

 _"Shit!"_ Ryoga winced as he pushed back the stinging in his foot. The damn valkyrie was pretty tough. Sure Guiche had called himself "The Bronze" but he thought that was a joke or something. That didn't look to be the case though. Either way this definitely wasn't the kind of Dueling Ryoga was used too, much to his dismay, meaning he couldn't afford to be careless with his opponent.

While this was going on the crowd of noble students cheered excitedly as they watched the event. They had never seen a commoner move this way before, let alone be able to dodge attacks from a magic construct. Most would just stumble around like a drunk chicken or be knocked out on the ground already. That didn't seem to be the case regarding Louise's summon though. It seemed this fight was going to turn out better than they anticipated.

Ryoga ignored the noise of the crowd as the valkyrie turned to face him again. The former king stayed firm and raised his Duel Disk in preparation. He had already seen the speed in which the golem moved and had an idea. He just needed-

Just then the golem once again flew towards him, left hand at the ready.

 _"Bingo,"_ Ryoga smirked as he charged forward as well.

"Hmm? What is he doing?" Guiche wondered at the reckless move.

As the valkyrie's left arm lunged forward for another punch, Ryoga lifted his own left arm to place the Duel Disk in the path of the attack. The metal fist collided with the Duel Disk's card plate hard, the screeching sound of metal against metal echoing out from the impact as the fist skidded across the device. Ryoga grit his teeth from the impact but held his ground.

The second the valkyrie had stopped moving, Ryoga acted.

Pushing forward with a battle cry the former Barian slammed the Duel Disk into the valkyrie's chest, knocking the bronze sentinel back from the sudden impact. Using the opening Ryoga brought the device up again before slamming the solid plate as hard as he could against the valkyrie's right hand, the blow shattering the metallic fingers and causing the spear to be released from its' grasp.

Ryoga didn't think, he just moved. His right hand swung forward towards the weapon just as the left fist of his opponent re-closed and lunged forward. The sound of metal hitting flesh was heard as Ryoga gasped in pain and was sent hurling into the air before crashing onto the hard ground.

"Shark-san!" Siesta screamed while Louise gasped beside her.

Guiche chuckled at the scene and brushed a strand of hair out of his face. "You see? Even a commoner like yourself cannot hope to defeat a noble. Vakyrie, be a dear and make sure to engrave that into his mind."

The valkyrie, as if understanding the words of its' master, lunged forward to teach the lesson its' master wished. Because of this it never noticed the smirk on Ryoga's face. Just as the valkyrie was in reach of the Duelist, he quickly spun off the ground and moved to face the puppet, as a sharp metal blade suddenly pierced through the construct's face and exited out the back of its' helm.

"W-What!?" Guiche shouted surprised while the crowd gasped in shock.

Ryoga simply continued to smirk, as held the spear dropped from the valkyrie firmly in his hands. "Looks like your toy isn't as tough as you thought."

Yanking the spear out of his opponent's head Ryoga watched the metal body shake for a moment before collapsing onto the ground with a loud thud, its' pieces falling apart like dominos. The display snapped the crowd from their stupor and earned a roar of cheers and excitement from them. Ryoga dismissed them though and took the moment to catch his breath.

That had been a bit reckless he admitted, but it worked. He was rather surprised though by how the Duel Disk held up as it did. Looking down at it he was amazed to see that it didn't seem to have any sort of damage to it, not even a tiny scratch. He thought it had felt heavier than normal when he went back to get it, along with how different the texture of the device felt, but he didn't expect it to be able to take such strong blows and still look as fresh as the first day he received it. Just what the hell happened to make it so durable and strong?

Ryoga shook his head. He supposed it didn't matter for now since it had helped him take down his opponent and now armed him with a weapon. It had been an on the spot idea, but seeing how Guiche just kept sending the valkyrie to punch his lights out rather than use the spear in hand, he had taken the gamble that the noble just wanted to intimidate him and make him suffer rather than actually try to kill him.

Yet, anyways.

Still, it goes to show that having the memories of past lives definitely has some benefits. Especially when it came to the memories involving combat and self-defense. It was times like these he was grateful for the training lessons given to him during his life in the United Lands of the Poseidon Ocean. Especially those spars with Durbe.

Feeling a smirk form on his face Ryoga spun the spear in his right hand before pointing the tip towards Guiche, his D-Gazer seeming to glow in the light of the sun. "So then, what was that about a commoner not winning?"

All around the nobles cheered loudly at his words and display. The commoner was actually putting up a fight, and while some were still annoyed by his words from earlier the excitement of combat helped to counteract those thoughts.

Against the wall Kirche let out a whistle of respect along with a sultry smile. "Not bad for a commoner. A bit reckless and crude, but that just adds to the charm I suppose."

Tabitha didn't respond to the comment as she merely turned another page in her book. If one watched carefully however they would have seen her eyes flick up towards the purple-haired boy.

"Shark-san," Siesta whispered in awe. She had been so terrified when the fight began that she nearly closed her eyes to prevent herself from seeing her new friend get hurt. Yet the maid couldn't find it in herself to look away from the event, and was just as shocked as everyone to witness Shark-san destroy the magic valkyrie. Something she hadn't thought possible!

Louise's own thoughts were similar to Siesta's. She knew full well that Guiche's valkyrie's were too much for an average commoner to handle. He constantly displayed their skills many times over, more than likely to impress the female populace, and while it wasn't anything for another student to worry over, it was clear they would be a threat to anyone that didn't possess magic. So it caught her completely off guard when Ryoga had not only managed to keep up with his opponent, but actually disarm and defeat it. Had she summoned a warrior of some sort without realizing it? It would certainly explain the strange armor and fighting skill he was displaying, but this was still something she hadn't expected at all.

Yet even in her confused and recovering state, deep down she couldn't help but feel a bit of pride for the purple-clad teen.

In the crowd Katie's violet eyes remained fixed on Ryoga's face, having never once left it since the fighting began. When she had been with Si-Guiche, he had spoken a great deal about his valkyries and how strong they were. He boasted so much about their strength and speed, and how they were an art he had perfected. And yet the same boy who had helped her and was masterless had just defeated the valkyrie Guiche spoke so highly of. And without magic! In was so startling for her, and yet so incredible as well!

Overall the consensus from the audience was quite positive towards the Duelist.

The only person who thought otherwise was Guiche, as his anger spiked tremendously by what occurred. The commoner had destroyed one of his precious valkyries, something he had never thought or even considered the possibility of such a thing happening. And yet this commoner had managed to do so, making his creation seem like an absolute joke. Worse, the boy's mock towards him was also a mock towards his beloved valkyrie.

He would not stand for that!

"Not bad commoner! However, while you may have beaten one of my beautiful valkyries," Guiche waved his rose wand again. This time three petals fell forward, and with them three more copies of the bronze sentinel rose up from the earth. "Let us see how well you handle three!"

The crowd cheered again while Ryoga's eyes narrowed, his body and mind becoming focused once more. This was about to get a whole lot more difficult. Especially since this time he knew Guiche wasn't going to make the same mistake of underestimating him again.

As if on cue two of the valkyries charged forward at Ryoga, spears extended out this time rather than fist. Gritting his teeth the Duelist ducked down and brought the Duel Disk up as he knocked the two spears upwards. Pushing off his feet he quickly aimed his own spear in hand towards the valkyrie closest to him.

However a third spear suddenly moved into view and blocked the attack, as the valkyrie who hadn't charged appeared before the boy. Ryoga's eyes widened as he jumped back only for the valkyrie to give chase and lunge the spear forward. Reacting on instinct Ryoga moved the Duel Disk into the path as the weapon clashed against it and skidded to the side, the metal tip grazing against his shoulder.

Ignoring the gasp of the crowd and the small spike of pain, Ryoga quickly ducked down under the valkyrie's punching arm and jumped back as another struck from his left, its' spear impaling the ground where he stood. There was no time to relax though as he caught sight of the other valkyrie charging directly at him, spear at the ready. Bringing up his own spear Ryoga smacked the charging weapon to the side and swiftly backhanded the valkyrie in the face with his Duel Disk, causing the bronze sentinel's helm to cave in from the impact as it fell to the side. The short victory was interrupted as the first valkyrie charged through the opening and socked the Duelist across the jaw with its' free hand.

A copper taste filled Ryoga's mouth as he crashed into the ground, but the pain meant nothing as he rolled with the motion and stopped himself on all fours. Jaw blazing with fire the boy leaped off the ground just as another bronze fist cemented into the spot he was at. The moment his feet hit the ground Ryoga lunged forward and thrust his spear through the valkyrie's shoulder, making it stumble back from the impact. Noticing movement from the corner of his eye Ryoga quickly used his strength to lift his impaled opponent off the ground before swinging the body as hard as he could to the right, as the trapped sentinel crashed into the head of the other one charging, causing both of them to crumple and shatter upon impact. The crowd cheered once more at the victory as Ryoga took a breath of air.

The victory was short-lived though as a warning suddenly popped up on the D-Gazer's screen about a threat from behind.

Caught off guard Ryoga didn't have time to react and gasped as a burning sensation erupted from his back. Tumbling forward he quickly caught his balance and spun around only to dodge to the left as another spear and valkyrie moved past him. It seemed Guiche had summoned more valkyries during the fight, and had managed to get one of them to strike while his back was turned.

Gritting his teeth Ryoga ducked under another stab from the new adversary before jumping up and ramming his spearhead into the top of the sentinel's helm. As it went limp before him Ryoga's ears caught noise from behind. He quickly withdrew the weapon from the empty helm before swirling around, his Duel Disk held up in defense as yet another spear tip impacted the metal plate. Knocking it aside Ryoga kicked the metal warrior's chest plate hard as it fell back, only for another to take its' place and punch at the boy. Ryoga tilted his head as the fist skidded his cheek before impaling the valkyrie's chest with his spear. Yet once again there was no time to rest as the Duelist caught sight of three more of the bronze opponents running forward, as well as the one he kicked down getting back up.

A sharp growl emitted from Ryoga's mouth as he swung the defeated body off his spear towards the rising valkyrie, causing both it and the defeated body to crumple from the blow. He quickly faced the charging trio and brought up the Duel Disk, bracing himself as the three simultaneously thrust their weapons at the purple-haired teen, all of them striking the metal plate as the momentum and force knocked Ryoga back from the impact. There was no time to think though as the opponents continuously struck with thrust, slashes, and punches, forcing Ryoga to continue dodging and batting away each one with both Duel Disk and spear. Knowing he couldn't be defensive forever the former Barian took a chance and let one of the valkyries attacks through, its' strike cutting against his side slightly.

The crowd gasped at the sight but watched as Ryoga moved his body right before his opponent, causing the other two to halt their movements less they attack their ally. Not that it would save the sentinel as Ryoga smashed the Duel Disk into the face of the adversary before him, its' helm crumpling under the devices structure and weight just like its' brothers before it. Not wasting a second the former king then used the momentum to lift the body off the ground and hurl it towards the other two. They both leaped to opposite sides to dodge the body, but that opening proved to be a mistake as Ryoga appeared behind the one to the right and impaled it from behind with his spear before kicking it to the side and charging at the remaining opponent, who let loose a horizontal swing from its' weapon at his head.

Ryoga simply ducked under the attack and thrust his own spear up into the valkyrie's jaw and out the top of its' head, the body shaking from the impact before stopping completely. Ryoga took the moment to collect himself only to curse loudly when the D-Gazer lit up once more. Lifting the body up he swung it around on his spear as two more spears impacted against it, the tips nearly touching the Duelist's chest. He quickly pushed his foot against the chest plate as hard as he could, causing the fallen warrior to slide off his spear and move forward against the other two impaling it, throwing their balance off and having them fall backwards in surprise, only for two more constructs to take their place from each side.

 _"This is getting me nowhere!"_ Ryoga thought as he slashed one of the bronze warrior's heads off with the spear before blocking a punch from the other with the Duel Disk. He growled from the impact but ignored it as his sight locked onto Guiche's form. _"If that guy is controlling these things, then he's the one I need to take out, not these puppets!"_

With that mindset Ryoga pushed the arm off and thrust his spear into the valkyrie's head before tilting it down and impaling it into the ground as hard as he could. A sweeping attack from the side forced him to let go of the weapon as he jumped over the attack and kicked the opponent's head off. Rolling onto his feet Ryoga's body hit the ground running as the Duelist immediately sprinted from his position, putting distance between him and the bronze enemies as he made his way towards the playboy noble, who looked panicked at the sight.

"Don't think it'll be that easy!" The Gramont shouted as he waved his rose and caused three more of his soldiers to appear.

Ryoga mentally cursed and skidded to a halt just as a spear tip slammed into his path. The other two used the moment to lunge forward and throw powerful hooks at the Duelist, who quickly brought the Duel Disk up to block. The pair of fist collided heavily as the boy felt his arm strain from the blow and his body get knocked back slightly. Forcing himself to quickly recover Ryoga looked up and glared at the new enemies as they aimed their spears at him.

 _"As if the things weren't bad en-"_

"Mister Ryoga behind you!" Katie's voice suddenly shouted from the crowd at the same time the D-Gazer lit up again.

Ryoga's eyes widened as he twisted his head and witnessed a bronze fist aimed right at his face. Instinct taking over the Duelist leaned back causing the fist to miss his head, instead grazing itself across his chest painfully. Ignoring the stinging he grabbed the arm and used his weight to flip the sentinel over his shoulder onto its' back, before giving a firm and hard kick towards its' helm, knocking it clean off. D-Gazer blaring with life Ryoga grabbed the spear of the fallen foe and turned around to parry the attacks that struck at him, his teeth gritted tightly as he pushed back.

As the fight grew fiercer and fiercer the crowd cheered louder and louder, watching as Ryoga deflected and moved through every strike and attack of his opponents despite them overwhelming him, while attacking and countering whenever he was given the chance. They had never seen such fighting skill from a commoner before, nor had they expected one to be able to keep up against a noble for so long. This was better than anything they had experienced before at the academy, and every single one of them was eagerly anticipating how long the purple-haired boy would be able to last.

The ones most surprised by what was happening were Louise, Siesta, and Katie. They too had never seen such ability and movement from anyone before, and the fact it was coming from the boy they had all just recently met completely bewildered them. Louise herself had seen many soldiers train from time to time while she was in the presence of her majesty, as well as witnessed the fighting skills of those foolish enough to try and train under her mother. But even those seemed pitiful compared to the skill and ability of the boy she summoned. She would even go so far as to say his combat skill was on par wi-

Louise shook her head of those thoughts, thinking them to be ridiculous as she focused back on the fight.

Back in the fight Ryoga struck down yet another valkyrie with his Duel Disk before skewering another's head onto his spear. Looking around for his next opponent the Duelist was surprised to find no others trying to kill him. The D-Gazer remained silent while the crowd's voices just grew louder, yet he didn't care as he took the moment to kneel down and finally catch his breath.

Despite not nearly having the skill to match him these things just kept coming. What they lacked in ability they made up for in numbers, and unfortunately for the Duelist he was beginning to feel the strain on his stamina. His body had just been reborn yesterday and wasn't as used to fighting on the same level as he was from his previous lives. He had the memories sure, but they could only take you so far if you weren't trained enough to use them. He could also feel his body cry out in burning agony from having to constantly block attacks and taking several shallow strikes, and could tell that the increase in damage was starting to take its' toll on him.

Thankfully he knew he wasn't alone as Ryoga glanced over to Guiche. Ignoring the blonde's anger and frustration Ryoga could see him also begin to sweat and breath heavily. The only reason nobody else seemed to notice was because the noble was still trying to keep up appearances, presenting his pride and stature as upright as ever and pretending that everything was still in his control. But Ryoga could tell the playboy was even more exhausted than he was and was barely holding.

It seemed the magic in this world drained on people just as much as it did his. Guiche probably wasn't used to summoning so many valkyries in such a short span of time, and so the strain of constantly using his magic over and over was eating away at him. It actually annoyed Ryoga a bit since he realized he could have finished this fight much sooner had he just gone after the noble sooner. The only reason he hadn't was because didn't know what else the noble was capable of and didn't want to risk being caught off guard.

Yet it seemed the blonde playboy was a one trick pony. Which meant now was his chance. If he could just get in one clean hit then Guiche was finished and the fight was his. However if he messed up or missed then chances are he'd be in trouble.

But then again, when did victory every come without risk?

"So then," Ryoga called out as he stood back up and pointed the spear at Guiche, shaking slightly as he did. "Got anything else for me? I'm getting a bit bored here."

Guiche grit his teeth angrily as he listened to the crowd cheer. The commoner was mocking him again! And what's worse, he was standing there as if Guiche was nothing to him. Nothing! He, a Gramont! The blonde noble grew furious at the insult as he felt himself ready to snap at fool!

The blonde forced himself to stay calm however as he closed his eyes and smirked.

"Is that so commoner? Then I believe it's time we ended this charade wouldn't you say?" Guiche declared. He once more began channeling his magic, though it was difficult as he felt his body nearly buckle under the strain. He managed to stay upright though as he once more summoned three valkyries. He then pointed his wand to the ground and began subtly flowing more of his magic through it, his eyes watching the commoner darkly.

Despite his own exhaustion Ryoga smirked and got ready as the three sentinels charged with spears at the ready. The first two slashed horizontally with their weapons which Ryoga quickly ducked underneath. The third used this chance to try and impale his shoulder, but the Duelist brought his Duel Disk up once more and smacked the attack aside before jumping back as the bronze sentinel tried to punch him.

However as he moved through the air Ryoga suddenly felt something grab at his ankle, halting his movement and pulling him downwards.

"What the-!?" Ryoga didn't get to finish as he was slammed onto his back, crying out from the jolt that erupted in his back.

"Shark-san!" Siesta yelled out in fear as she, Louise, and Katie watched in horror while everyone else appeared surprised.

Ryoga felt his body screaming but ignored it as he looked up to see what happened. To his surprise the arm of one of the destroyed sentinels had moved and grabbed ahold of his leg in a tight grip. Snapping his gaze to the noble he caught the smirk on the blonde's face and cursed himself for being careless. He had no time to think on it though as the valkyrie from before charged at his downed position to take advantage of the opening.

The Duelist didn't think and kicked at the hand with his other leg, breaking it off as he rolled to his feet and positioned the Duel Disk into the path of the punch attack. However his downed position didn't give him the proper brace as the heavy blow impacted the device and knocked his arm to the side, giving the valkyrie an opening as it swung its' other fist right into the boy's chest. Blue eyes widened in pain as the air left Ryoga's lungs, his body recoiling from the impact as well as the piercing agony from his other injuries. Before he could even process what happened the valkyrie suddenly jumped out of the way as its' two siblings suddenly reappeared in the Ryoga's vision and thrust their spears forward.

"Shit!"

"Too late commoner!" Guiche yelled.

 **SHINK!**

The sound of flesh being torn echoed through the courtyard. Silence filled the air until the body of the purple-haired teen slammed into the ground, a loud cry escaping his lips. Siesta and Katie both gasped and cried out in horror.

"Shark-san!"

"Mister Ryoga!"

Ryoga's teeth grinded fiercely together as his body wracked with burning discomfort. Looking down he spotted blood flowing freely from his left shoulder, curtesy of being pierced by one of the spears and forming a nice hole in his flesh and clothing. He could also see a dark red stain forming on his shirt from where the other spear had sliced clean against the right side of his torso. It was only by instinct that he had managed to bring the Duel Disk up in time, else the blows might have been much worse.

Turning himself on his hands and knees Ryoga felt his body shake from both exhaustion and pain. He cursed himself for being in such a state due to his carelessness and not finishing the fight sooner. Another spike of pain shot through him as he gasped and clutched at his wounded shoulder tightly, trying to ease the stinging and stop the flow of blood that just seemed to continuously pour out.

"Had enough?"

Ryoga's eyes turned towards Guiche, his gaze filled with anger ferocity. The noble simply smiled at the sight, ignoring his own exhaustion as he waved his hands to the commoner in delight.

"Look at you, on your hands and knees like you should have been in the first place. You were warned you know. A commoner can _never_ hope to defeat a noble," Guiche boasted as his three valkyries lined up before him.

"Mister Ryoga," Katie whispered as she stared at the downed boy who had helped her. He had landed near her position when the last blow was struck, and now seeing him so close and injured made the first-year fear for his life.

"I'll give you one last chance," the Gramont continued, pointing at the Duelist with his rose. "Apologize now and I will show you mercy. You have more than proven your skill and determination in this fight. Everyone here can acclaim to that. There is no need for you to suffer any further."

"Shark-san, please," Siesta begged. Her hands clutched together tightly over her heart as she prayed to Brimir. She couldn't take it anymore. Shark-san was strong, incredibly so, but he was now in the state she had feared for since the beginning.

He had to stop! He's already done enough hasn't he? She didn't want to see him lose, but she didn't want to see him be hurt anymore either!

She didn't want to watch him die!

The crowd of nobles watched in silent anticipation as Ryoga remained on his knees and hands. Guiche grinned at the sight despite how he was feeling. "What will it be then? If you keep going I cannot guarantee your life. So what will you do, commoner?"

Ryoga did nothing at first. He simply kneeled on the ground with his back to his opponent. But then his free hand dug into the dirt as his shaking stopped.

"Who…"

"Hmm?" Guiche tilted his head.

"Who...would ever…" Ryoga spoke as he pushed his body off the ground, his feet locking firmly in place as he stood back up, his stance tall and firm before turning around with determined and defiant eyes. "Apologize to someone like you!?"

Everybody was stunned by the declaration, but soon loud cheers broke out at the boy's commitment and continuation of the fight. Siesta and Katie however felt their hearts drop in horror.

"My my, he really doesn't know when to quit does he? Is he really going to keep going till he drops?" Kirche questioned mostly to herself, knowing she probably wouldn't get an answer from her quiet friend.

"Strong."

Kirche blinked. Did she just hear what she thought she did? Surprised by the unexpected voice of her companion the redhead turned to see if she misheard, only for her eyes to widen at the sight before her.

Tabitha's book was closed. The bluenette bookworm had tucked her book underneath her arm and had her gaze completely focused on the duel before her, more specifically on the wounded commoner.

"He's strong," Tabitha said, though it was so quiet it might as well have been a whisper. Kirche was shocked by her friend's actions and comment but then smiled and nodded.

"Indeed. For a commoner anyways."

As everyone eagerly awaited the next move to occur Guiche's grip on his wand tightened as he glared furiously at the commoner. The fool just couldn't take a damn hint! How much more punishment did he need to deliver? What did he need to do to break that spirit of his like he did the Zero? He couldn't understand it. How this boy just wouldn't stay down and surrender! The remaining rational thoughts of the Gramont were eliminated as his pride and anger finally took over, desiring nothing more now than to simply crush this commoner beneath his boot.

"Fine then. I commend you for your determination at least. But from here on out no more games!" Guiche shouted furiously. "Valkyries!"

The bronze soldiers leaned forward and raised their weapons for battle. Ryoga's gaze narrowed on them as he moved to defend himself. When he went to take a step though he felt his right knee buckle slightly and another spike of pain bore into him. The Duelist cursed aloud and quickly caught himself as he grasped his shoulder once more. Guiche laughed at the action.

"You can barely stand and yet you still choose to fight? You really are the familiar of Louise aren't you?" The playboy mocked, his ego swelling inside of him. "Well I suppose it would be a bit uncivilized to have you completely slaughtered by all my beautiful soldiers at once while in such a state. So to end this, I'll just use one!"

The middle valkyrie curled its' body before charging forward at high speeds, its' left fist pulled back for attack.

"Mister Ryoga!"

"Shark-san!"

Ryoga growled and pushed forward to ignore the strain he felt, quickly bringing his Duel Disk up just as the valkyrie swung at his face.

 **SMACK!**

Only for it to collide with not the metal plating, but a soft cheek, as a tiny figure was sent hurdling from the blow and onto the ground beside Ryoga, his eyes following the body's flight and collision with shock.

Dead silence filled the courtyard as everyone's voices left them, their gazes focused on what just transpired. The silence was soon broken by Siesta, who screamed in fear at what happened.

"Miss Valliere!"

Ryoga stared down at the fallen and unconscious form of Louise, his own voice and thoughts silent as Siesta rushed over and kneeled down to check the young noble.

"Miss Valliere, are you alright!? Miss Valliere!?" Siesta called out as she shook the girl worriedly.

"Z-Zero?" Guiche stuttered, his rage and anger evaporating as he stepped back dumbfounded. He hadn't seen the pink-haired girl move at all. When had she gotten that close? _Why_ was she even that close?

"Louise!" Kirche called out as she looked at her unconscious rival with concern. Even Tabitha felt her eyes slightly widen at the sight. Katie covered her mouth to hold back her voice as she took in the sight before her, while everyone else in the crowd just watched on in stunned silence.

"Miss Valliere please! Say something! Miss Valliere!" Siesta shouted at the pink-haired girl desperately, her fear increasing by the second. After a moment through a moan escaped from the noble's mouth as her eyes opened. "Miss Valliere, oh thank Brimir!"

Louise blinked confused and looked around. "What? What ha-" she stopped as her eyes immediately widened and her body shot upright, hands snapping to her right cheek. "Ahhh it hurts! Brimir it hurts! What was I thinking!?"

"Ah, hang on Miss Valliere! I'll help with that!" Siesta reassured as she reached into her apron to grab some healing ointment while Louise sat there holding back tears of pain. Both girls ceased their actions when they felt a large shadow hover over them.

"You..."

Louise and Siesta both looked up to see Ryoga, who was now glaring at Louise with utter fury.

"You _idiot_! Why did you do something so stupid!?" The boy shouted at Louise, making her and nearly everyone else around flinch from the tone. "What if that had been a spear!? Did you even consider that you could have gotten killed!? Why did you go and do something so reckless and stupid!?"

Louise felt her own anger rise and ignored the stinging in her cheek as she stood up and faced the Duelist eye to eye. "Me!? You're the one who still insist on fighting! Look at you! You can barely stand as it is! Who are you trying to fool huh!?"

"That's my concern not yours!" Ryoga declared. "I'm the one out here getting smacked around so it's my life to do with as I wish! Besides I'm not your familiar remember, what I do to myself shouldn't matter to y-"

"Of course it matters!"

Ryoga's voice was silenced as Louise glared at him, her eyes beginning to water. "You think just because you're not my familiar that it doesn't matter to me!? Idiot! Moron! You stupid dog!"

The former Barian was taken aback by the sight. "O-Oy, what are you-"

"Isn't it enough already?" Louise asked, her voice breaking a little as she spoke. "You've already proven to everyone you're not a common familiar. That you won't bow down to anyone. Isn't that enough for you!? Do you really intend to keep going until you die? Don't you understand what that means!?"

Ryoga's expression turned solemn. "Of course I do. But that's my choice."

"Why?" Louise questioned, her own expression showing confusion alongside concern.

"Because I'm the one Dueling," Ryoga pushed himself upright and glanced back over to the valkyries and Guiche, who simply remained in place watching. "Nobles, commoners, magic, to me those things can always be handled later. But when it comes to a Duel I won't let anyone stop me from winning. Not Guiche, not God, nobody. I'll keep fighting. Even if my body breaks and my soul is shattered, I will never give up a Duel!"

The complete seriousness of his voice caught Louise off guard. The way he spoke and sounded; it was as if he had been in several duels before. But that wasn't possible. He was a commoner, right? Even with his skills a duel was restricted between two nobles and commoners weren't ever involved.

So how could he sound so serious about such a thing?

"Besides, since when did you care so much about me?" Ryoga questioned interrupting Louise's thoughts.

The Valliere bit her lips and glanced down, as if mentally debating something. After a moment of silence though her voice hesitantly spoke up. "D-Do you remember what I said earlier? That I had complete faith in you? That if I didn't bow than neither would you? It may have just seemed like I was showing off at the time, but I was telling the truth," her fingers curled tightly together at her sides. "You aren't my familiar by contract, so of course it would make sense for me to not care, but I just can't do that alright? I'm not like Guiche. I won't just ignore the fact that I'm partly responsible for what's happened to you, or that I brought you into this place. Just because I have my own issues and frustrations about the situation doesn't mean I don't care!"

"Miss Valliere..." Siesta whispered.

Ryoga's eyes softened. "You-" He stopped and winced as he grasped his shoulder once more.

Louise gasped at the sight and moved forward to help hold him up. "Don't you see? You can't keep fighting like this! You can barely hold yourself up! At this rate it won't be about winning or proving anything anymore! If you keep going like this you won't just walk away from this fight with injuries, because you won't walk away at all! And despite everything that's occurred between us I don't want to see that happen!"

Ryoga remained silent as his ocean blue eyes stared into Louise's pink ones. The girl held the stare for a moment, a light pink forming on her cheeks before she lowered her head nervously.

"I-I know you hate me alright? I know you hate the nobles and how things work. You're not bound to me as my familiar and I can't stop you either since I...since I'm not your master," Louise stepped back away from Ryoga. "But...but that doesn't mean I don't care what happens to you! So please just stop already! I don't want to watch you get hurt anymore! I don't want to watch you fall again and again! I don't-"

Louise felt herself freeze up.

"I don't..."

Again she froze, her voice seeming to abandon her. Almost as if afraid to say the words. However, the pinkette refused to be stopped now. Gathering her courage and swallowing her pride, Louise closed her eyes tightly and forced the words out.

"I don't…I DON'T WANT TO WATCH YOU DIE RYOGA!"

Silence filled the air. The only sound being Louise's heavy panting.

The pinkette herself stood in place, her body shaking heavily. She said it. It had taken all of her pride and strength, but she said it. Keeping her eyes closed the girl struggled to collect her breath and emotions as she waited for his reaction.

After a few seconds of tense silence, she heard a heavy sigh.

"Honestly. That's the first time you've called me by my real name rather than something like 'familiar', and you decide to do it now of all times? You really are a pain."

Louise's head snapped up towards Ryoga only to see his back facing her as he faced the valkyries. "H-Hey what are you doing? I told you if you keep going like this you'll-"

"You said you had faith in me didn't you?"

"Eh?" Louise was taken aback by the words. "Y-Yes bu-"

"Then have faith," Ryoga turned his head slightly, his eye looking at her with complete confidence. "That I won't lose this Duel."

Louise felt her heart skip a beat as the Duelist's words filled her with an emotion she didn't recognize. On the ground Siesta also felt the same way, while in the crowd Katie found herself amazed by Ryoga's strength.

With those words spoken Ryoga turned back towards Guiche, the noble finally snapping out of his stupor as he put on another smile. "You're still planning on continuing then?"

"Yeah," Ryoga nodded.

Guiche chuckled and shook his head. "Good grief. You really are the Zero's familiar aren't you? Whether bound by the contract or not, both of you never know when t-"

"Don't call her that."

Guiche blinked. "Pardon?"

"Don't call her a Zero," Ryoga ordered with a stern glare.

Louise's eyes widened while Guiche actually let out a laugh, as did several of the nobles in the crowd. "And why not? It's the truth after all. All she ever does is fail. She can't use magic. She can't cast one spell correctly. She couldn't even make you a proper familiar! All she can ever hope to do is-"

"SHUT UP!"

The laughter ceased as everyone flinched back fearfully from the sheer volume of Ryoga's voice.

"I've put up with a lot of shit these past twenty-four hours. Nobles, commoners, magic, I've had more bullshit than I can handle right now!" Ryoga shouted out as his eyes bore into Guiche's. "Now I could care less what you call me. I could care less about being labeled a commoner. But don't expect me to just stand here and let you insult someone in front of me!"

"Shark…" Louise uttered as she watched the boy.

Guiche shook away his bewilderment and glared back. "And what will you do if I don't stop huh? You're barely on your feet as it is, and I still have my valkyries! You can't possibly hope to win!"

Ryoga smirked. "I wonder about that?"

"W-What?" Guiche stuttered confused.

"You think I'm scared of your little puppet show? Don't flatter yourself," Ryoga mocked. "You have no idea what I've been through. You have no _idea_ what kind of things I've seen. The shit I've had to deal with. To me, you're nothing more than a small guppy trying to prove himself in a sea full of sharks."

Guiche's jaw tighten. "You!"

"But even so, I won't let you get away with trying to hurt someone," Ryoga released the grip on his shoulder and stood tall. "Doesn't matter how many times you try and knock me down. I'll keep coming back. Over, and over, and _over_ again. I'll keep returning and hunt you down every single time. Doesn't matter where you run or hide, because I'll always find you. Because a shark's nose is always keen and never loses track of its' prey," Ryoga slowly closed his eyes. "And when I finally find you, you who would dare to destroy a person's future! Their dreams! Their hope!"

 _"You two have infected me with those words of yours."_

 _"That Duel, up to the final second, was the greatest Duel I ever played."_

" _I want to see the future you guys create."_

Ryoga's eyes snapped opened with absolution.

"THEN I'LL SEND YOU TO THE BOTTOM OF THE ABYSS MYSELF!"

Suddenly a massive explosion of crimson light emitted from the Barian pendant around Ryoga's neck, engulfing the boy in a crimson aura that caused every person in the courtyard to cover their eyes.

"W-What is this!? What's going on!?" Guiche shouted, confusion and shock pulsating through him.

"Where did this light come from?" Kirche questioned, trying to cover her own eyes while Tabitha did the same, the bluenette showing emotion for the first time as she too looked on surprised by what was happening.

"S-Shark-san?" Siesta whispered.

"I-It can't be," Katie watched in awe and amazement.

"Impossible," Louise muttered, her gaze not deterred by the light at all as she looked straight at Ryoga in disbelief. "Is that...magic!?"

Ryoga looked at the crimson light just as surprised as everyone else. He didn't feel any fear or confusion though as he felt the light engulf his body and begin to heal him. The wounds were closing, his fatigue was fading, even his clothes were somehow repairing themselves. But most of all, he could feel it.

He could feel _it_ flowing through him.

Power.

His power!

The power he thought he lost!

The power of Chaos!

"This is?" Ryoga looked at his Duel Disk as his deck seemed to glow brightly within it. He could feel it. He could hear the voices of his deck. Just like he could once before. They were calling out to him.

To be awoken.

To be unleashed!

To be _free!_

A smile formed on Ryoga's face as he brought the Duel Disk up and placed his right hand on the top of his deck.

"Here we go!" Ryoga announced. "It's my turn! DRAW!"

Ryoga's hand snapped away and drew the top card of the deck into his fingers, sending a blast of wind shooting out in all directions nearly blowing everyone around him off their feet. The light around Ryoga pulsed once more before suddenly fading from sight as it was sucked into the pendant, the Barian emblem glowing briefly as it happened. Once the light fully faded everyone gathered themselves and tried to figure out what happened, Guiche being one of them as he stared at the boy across from him in utter disbelief.

"W-What was-"

"Oy Guiche!" Ryoga called out to the blonde, a smile fully formed across his face. "Sorry to say, but this Duel is over."

At that everyone looked at the boy confused. Just what was he saying?

Guiche took it the worst as his face contorted with anger. "Excuse me?!"

"You heard me," Ryoga continued to smile. "It's been fun, but it's over now."

Guiche shook. That was it! He didn't know what the commoner was pulling, but he had HAD IT!

"I don't know what trick you pulled or what game you're trying to play commoner! But you're right about one thing. This duel is over! And I am the winner! VALKYRIES!"

Guiche's shout caused the bronze sentinels to charge forward at Ryoga, their spears aimed directly the boy's chest as Katie, Siesta, and Louise all cried out.

"Mister Ryoga!"

"Shark-san!"

"Ryoga!"

Ryoga didn't move though, and instead slapped the card in his hand onto the Duel Disk, causing it to suddenly light up before him.

"I summon, BIG JAWS!"

Suddenly a large swirling torrent of water erupted before Ryoga, causing the valkyries to be blown apart by the sudden force and impact of the waves.

"What!?" Guiche screamed jumping back from the sight. "Impossible! T-That's, water magic!?"

All around everyone's jaws fell agape. Ryoga had just used magic. A _commoner_ had just used magic! Magic! That shouldn't be possible and yet it was happening right before their very eyes.

But that wasn't the end.

From the torrent a gurgling sound could be heard as two bright red lights flashed from within. Suddenly from the water a large metallic and curved blade sliced through its' outer rim, causing the water to explode and revealing the blade to be the top fin of a strange creature. It resembled a massive white and blue fish, bigger than any adult human, but it's mouth was nearly the size of its' body, filled with teeth nearly as long as each fin, and metal plating layered all along the outer lips.

And as the creature let out a vicious gurgle, Guiche felt his confidence shatter.

"I-Impossible," Guiche muttered as he stepped back several steps. "A…a familiar? That can't be! How...how can a commoner have a familiar!?"

All around the courtyard everyone's mind had shut down as they took in the creature. The boy had summoned a familiar. He had used magic and had now summoned a familiar! Even though he himself was summoned to be a familiar for the Zero! Did that mean the boy before them wasn't a commoner at all?

But a noble!?

Kirche found herself in awe. Tabitha stared with eyes ever so slightly narrowed. Katie looked at the creature with fear but at Ryoga in amazement. Siesta found herself completely surprised and confused as to how this was possible. And Louise…

Louise was speechless.

"You wanted a Duel? Well now you got one," Ryoga said with a smirk. He raised his hand up before pointing at Guiche. "Battle! Go Big Jaws! BIG MOUTH!"

The monster let out another vicious gurgle as it impossibly flew across the air and towards Guiche, causing the noble to panic and rapidly back pedal.

"S-Stay away!" Guiche shouted as he waved his wand and used what magic he had left to summon several more valkyries. However the beast known as Big Jaws simply opened its' massive mouth and chomped down on the bronze sentinels, its' razor teeth slicing through them like a hot knife through butter.

Guiche panicked and waved his rose desperately. Roses and lights danced all around as more valkyries were summoned, but because of his exhaustion and lack of magic they were barley workable and nothing more than fodder as they were cut down and devoured by the bloodthirsty beast. With each of his guardians that fell apart Guiche found his will and courage fading rapidly. And only after the creature had finished slaughtering the last construct, did it turn its' crimson eyes on him and let out a vicious screech.

Screaming in fear Guiche turned to flee from the monster, only for a tight fist to slam straight into his nose hard and send the noble hurling into the ground. Coughing from the impact and holding his face with his hand, Guiche looked up to see Ryoga standing over him, the Duelist's eyes like that of a predator having cornered its' prey.

Guiche found himself unable to move as the eyes of the Duelist bore into his own, completely cold and dangerous, as if waiting for Guiche to try anything so he could be ripped apart. And as the large sharp-toothed beast that Ryoga summoned floated into view behind its' master and let out another screech, Guiche finally lost any will to keep going.

"I…" the noble whimpered out hanging his head in defeat. "I surrender."

Silence echoed over the courtyard. Not one word was spoken as everyone tried to process what just happened. After a moment the silence was swiftly broken by a loud and rowdy amount of cheers and applauses.

"AMAZING! THAT WAS AMAZING!"

"DID YOU SEE THAT!? THAT WAS AWESOME!"

"THAT GUY IS LOUISE'S FAMILIAR!? SO COOL!"

The cheering continued to grow louder and more exciting, but Ryoga simply ignored them as he lifted his D-Gazer off his face and Big Jaws faded away, his eyes continuing to look down at his defeated opponent.

"You know, I was once like you," his voice caused Guiche to look up nervously. "I didn't care for anyone else, always did what I wanted, and even bullied others because of my own pride and anger. But I soon learned that such actions can only lead to a life of solitude and misery. And if you want that sort of life for yourself then be my guest. But don't you _ever_ try to bring someone down with you, or else I'll come back again. And next time," Ryoga turned and put his hands in his pocket. "I'll show you what it _really_ means to fear a shark."

With that Ryoga walked away, leaving Guiche to look down ashamed. As the Duelist walked off he heard the sounds of rapid feet approaching and looked up to see Louise and Siesta.

"Shark-san!" "Ryoga!" Both shouted out as they stopped in front of him. Louise was the first to speak as she started looking over the boy worriedly. "A-Are you alright?"

Ryoga ignored the concern and simply smirked. "I'm fine. I told you I'd win didn't I?"

"Shark-san what about you're injuries from before? Are you sure you're not hurt or need help?" Siesta questioned as she also looked him over.

"Don't worry alright. I told you I'm completely f-"

Ryoga didn't get to finish his sentence as his vision suddenly went black.

* * *

"Well now, that was certainly informative wouldn't you say?" Osmond said while rubbing his beard.

"I believe that statement is most unfitting for what we just witnessed headmaster," Colbert responded back as he stared down from the tower window and onto the fallen form of the otherworlder. "That boy…he's…"

Osmond nodded. Things had suddenly become much more interesting.

Miss Longueville however simply stood in silence as she watched the events below, her eyes holding a calculating look to them.

* * *

A warmth of a bright light was felt upon skin as Ryoga moaned and opened his eyes. "Where?"

Quickly taking note that his clothes were missing once again, outside of his two pendants, and that his body felt stiff, the Duelist realized he was in another bed. But not a bed from the clinic as this one was much softer and bigger than the one he first awoke. Plus the blankets and pillows were not as itchy and there looked to be some sort of in-bed tapestry hovering above him. Sitting himself upright Ryoga looked around and noticed he was in what seemed to be some sort of bedroom, though he clearly didn't recognize it.

Before he could question what was going on the sound of a door opening caught his ear. Turning towards the noise and spotted Siesta walking through the door to his right while carrying a tray of food and water. The moment her eyes caught sight of Ryoga she froze, letting out a small gasp before smiling widely.

"Shark-san! You're awake!" The maid said pleased as she placed the tray on a table and rushed over to the boy. "How are you feeling? You're not in any pain still are you?"

"I'm fine, I think," Ryoga said as he rubbed his head confused. "What happened? Where am I Siesta?"

Siesta paused in her excitement. "Oh right. Well, after you won the duel against Mister Gramont you suddenly passed out. We were really worried because you wouldn't wake up even though you were completely fine and had no injuries to speak of. That was nearly two days ago," Siesta recollected. Her words seemed to click with Ryoga as he felt his memories resurface, remembering the events of the Duel and him blacking out after it was finished. "As for where you are, Miss Valliere offered to take you into her room until you awoke."

Siesta looked to her left making Ryoga follow her gaze and quickly spot Louise's form also in the room, the pink-haired noble sitting in a chair and resting her head on a desk as she slept silently. He was surprised he didn't see her sooner. What he didn't expect though was how cute she looked while asleep. It reminded him of how Rio looked whenever she was sleeping.

A painful reminder of what was forever lost.

"I'm glad," the comment caught Ryoga's attention as Siesta spoke again. "She's been refusing to sleep the whole time, saying that she wouldn't let anyone touch or disturb you. That she would be the one to watch over you until you awoke. She was quite stubborn about it."

The former Barian looked surprised. Had Louise really done such a thing while he was unconscious? It sounded almost unbelievable, and yet as he looked over the chibi noble's sleeping form, for some reason he knew with complete certainty that it wasn't a lie.

"Umm, Shark-san," the boy turned to Siesta once more as she looked down nervously. "About...about what you did at the Vestri Court…"

Ryoga seemed confused for a moment until he realized what Siesta was referring too, mentally cursing as he did. She had seen him use his powers. Heck everyone had seen him use his powers! Consequences of his actions be dammed, she probably thought he had lied about not being a noble and was just toying with her or something.

"Siesta look, that wasn't-"

"It was amazing."

Ryoga stopped as Siesta looked at him, her face full of admiration. "What you did against Mister Gramont, it was amazing. I've never seen anyone so strong or determined before. Even when you kept getting knocked down you never gave up. You kept pushing forward and fighting against all odds. It scared me, and at times I wanted it to stop, but at the same time I couldn't stop watching you. Because no matter what happened, despite how much I feared for your life, you kept giving me hope that you would still win."

"You're…not upset?" Ryoga said confused.

Siesta tilted her head. "Upset?"

"I mean…you saw what I did out there. How I won that Duel. How I summoned Big Jaws," Ryoga lowered his gaze. "Aren't you mad at me?"

Realizing what he was thinking Siesta lowered her gaze as well. The two sat in silence for a moment, neither uttering a single word until the raven-haired beauty finally spoke. "Are you a noble?"

Ryoga shook his head. "No I jus-"

"Was what you did magic?"

"No but-"

"Then what's the problem?"

Ryoga's voice caught him again as Siesta smiled at him with kind blue eyes.

"If you say you're not a noble and that what you did wasn't magic, then I'll believe you. Even though everybody else thinks otherwise and has been going crazy over your actions, I won't. Because to me it doesn't matter. Shark-san is simply Shark-san," Siesta's cheeks colored red and the smile on her face only seemed to grow more beautiful. "And I'm happy I got to meet someone like you."

Ryoga felt his cheeks warm slightly before quickly shaking it off. The heck was that just now? As he pondered about the odd feeling Siesta got up from her spot and straightened herself out.

"I'd like to talk more but I'm afraid I must be going now. But I'll be sure to come by and check on you again real soon. So please take care until then Shark-san."

"W-Wait!" Ryoga called out as Siesta turned and left, though not before giving one last smile to him. Once the door closed behind her the Duelist sighed and scratched the back of his head. "What the heck was that all about?"

"Mmmph?"

Ryoga blinked at the noise and looked over to see Louise stir in her sleep. The tiny noble's eyes opened a moment later as she pushed herself up lazily and yawned as she rubbed her eyes. Ryoga couldn't help but smirk at the action.

"Sleep well enough chibi?"

Louise jumped at the voice and snapped her head to the source, her eyes becoming fully awake. "Y-You're up!"

"Yeah, and you're still loud," Ryoga muttered back. Seriously he had just woken up. He didn't need shouting this early.

Louise ignored the remark and approached him. "How do you feel? Are you still hurt? Do you rememb-"

"I just went through this with Siesta a moment ago and don't need it again thank you," Ryoga cut off. "I'm perfectly fine. Just a bit sore is all. Also Siesta explained what happened since I passed out so you don't need to do so."

"O-Oh. I see..."

An awkward silence filled the room again. Ryoga just waited and watched Louise, who seemed to find the floorboard far more interesting to look at.

"Is...is it true?" Louise asked after a moment.

"Huh?"

"T-That you're a noble," Louise specified, her body shaking as she clenched her fist. "Is it true? Were you just hiding it the whole time? W-Were you just trying to show how much better you are than everyone? Were yo-"

"I'm not," Ryoga said with a frown.

"But you used magic!" Louise snapped her head up. Ryoga could see her expression riddled with confusion and worry, and even a bit of fear for some reason. "A-And that creature, that was your familiar right? Commoners can't have either of those, but you clearly had both! So you have to be a-"

"I'm not a noble Louise!"

Louise froze, gaping at Ryoga. "Y-You…you called me-"

"I did…" silence filled the air again. Ryoga quietly cursed at how awkward this was being. He wasn't one for this emotional shit. Letting out a heavy sigh he decided to take the lead this time. "Look, I don't know what everyone's been saying, but despite whatever you've heard I'm not a noble alright? What you saw back there wasn't magic. It was…well, it's a bit hard to explain to someone like you. But it _wasn't_ magic," he said again, wanting to make to emphasize the point across. "I didn't even know anything about nobles or commoners before I came to this place so how could I possibly be one of them?

Louise saw the reasoning behind his words but seemed uncertain. "Y-Yeah but-"

"You heard what I said that day didn't you? I hate the nobles and how things work here. Why would I ever want to be one of them?" Even Louise couldn't deny that logic given all she had seen and heard from him. "If I was one of you guys I would have had no reason to Duel that day like I did. But I did so because I couldn't stand how things worked and wanted to put that two-timer in his place. Not because I was hiding who I was just to show off," Ryoga's voice lightened up towards the end and his gaze softened. "I'm not lying Louise. I swear."

Louise say anything. Instead she carefully observed Ryoga's face, looking for any signs of deceit. Any hint that he was hiding the truth from her or was just going to make fun of her like everybody else.

But she saw nothing. Nothing at all to indicate that he was lying to her. Every word he said seemed to be absolute truth.

And for some reason that made her heart race.

"A-Alright then," Louise turned her head to the side to hide the strange feeling from the Duelist. "If…if you're the one saying it then…I'll trust your word…Ryoga."

The former king sighed in relief and smiled. Finally, it looked like things were starting to turn out better n-

"But I still want answers!" Louise suddenly demanded, snapping back around and boring into Ryoga's face with a demanding stare. His smile immediately dropped and his eye gave a slight twitch.

Dammit, too good to be true.

Louise didn't notice the reaction as she slammed her hands on the bed and looked him dead in the eyes. "What was that creature you summoned? How did you even summon it in the first place? You say it's not magic but what else could it be? Was it that weird light you had? Where did it come from and what was it anyways?! Just who exactly are you Ryoga!?"

Ryoga stared at Louise. Louise stared right back. Neither said a word filling the room with complete silence as Louise waited for an answer.

"I refuse."

Louise blinked.

"Huh?"

Ryoga rolled his eyes as he laid back down on the bed and pulled the sheets over his head. "I'm too damn tired as it is, and frankly it's too early for this shit."

"H-Hey! Wait a second Ryoga!" Louise shouted as she shook him.

"If I feel in the mood later maybe I'll feel like sharing. For now though," Ryoga waved a hand lazily as if motioning for her to leave.

"You can't just ignore me like this! Ryoga!"

"I think I just did."

Louise growled and tried pulling the sheets off but could feel them being held firmly in place. "W-Who do you think took care of you while you were out huh? Whose bed do you think you're laying in? You owe me answers!"

"So noisy. I don't owe you anything. It's not like I asked you to do this in the first place anyways. Besides I'm not your familiar remember, I don't have to do a thing you say."

Louise's grip on the sheets ceased, her eyes widening in shock. "B-But, at the duel! What you said to Guiche. W-What you said ab-"

"Doesn't mean I'm gonna be your pet. I hate nobles remember? And last I checked, you're still a noble. Granted you're not nearly as stupid or bad as that Guiche guy, but that doesn't mean I'm going to do whatever you ask now just because you gave a few nice words. Just let me sleep for now and I promise I'll tell you later alright?"

Louise didn't respond and backed away from the bed, making Ryoga think she had finally given up. However unseen to him Louise's head hung in a dangerous fashion as her hair shadowed her eyes and she began shaking.

"...You..." she whispered.

"Hmm? What now?"

"Do you know how e-e-embarrassing that was to me? D-D-Do you know how much of my pride I had to throw away?" Louise's shaking grew fiercer. "Do you have any idea how w-w-worried I felt or how much suffering I had to go through because of you!?"

"Louise?" Ryoga's head emerged from the sheets to look at the pinkette.

"I was so scared. I was so a-a-afraid. But you still defended me. You h-h-helped me. And yet, even now, after everything that happened. Everything you said. Everything I s-s-s-said, you still act like a rude and disrespectful dog, AND PRETEND IT NEVER HAPPENED!?"

"O-Oy! Calm down Lou-"

"WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!? YOU IDIOT!"

* * *

All around the academy people jumped in surprise as a large explosion suddenly shook the school.

* * *

 **RAISE THE BANNERS. PLAY THE MUSIC! GET OUT THE FOOD! I HAVE RETURNED AGAIN! *cheers and celebration begin***

 **Hey guys! I'm finally back after so fucking long and OMG AM I TIRED! But I finally have a period where my workload can be calmer and more settled down, so I can finally give you guys the chapter you've been waiting so long for! And hopefully I can continue writing the other chapters I have now since I already know what I want to happen for them! Don't worry, I will definitely keep writing, it'll just be based on how busy I am that will determine when I update.**

 **But seriously, thank you all for this. If it wasn't for you guys that kept encouraging me and wanting me to continue, I probably wold have hesitated and been unsure too. I really want to write a good story, and while it may take a VERY long time to complete, as long as you guys continue to support me, I know I'll find a way to keep writing.**

 **Now ONTO THE REVIEWS!**

 **Okay as a general basis I will answer the three Guest, FOJ, Sekishki, and Dark Zexals main thing with this...I'M SORRY FOR THE CLIFFHANGER! I just couldn't help it! Believe me I hate when cliffhangers are left like that too, but it just felt right to end it there and dedicate this whole chapter to the duel, which I hope everyone loved! I can't promise I won't do cliffhangers again, but hopefully you all will enjoy them!**

 **Now for the other points.**

 **Guest 1 (I'm naming you based on when you appeared): I'm glad the Louise scene got to you. Trust me I also felt really bad on what I did to her, but it needed to be done because now the mending can begin, as well as the start of the...*debates on word*...truce, between Louise and Ryoga.**

 **Guest 2: Again sorry man. But I can't promise it won't happen again. Just hope this chapter more than made up for it.**

 **Firem78910: Firstly, welcome. Second, I have debated on O.C. cards being used, especially for the future events. Not any time soon though, but if you have any ideas please feel free to tell me in a pm or review.**

 **Guest 3: Glad you liked the last chapter, and thank you again for wishing me luck in my work. I hope i have fulfilled your wish by giving you an epic duel to read.**

 **FOJ: Hahaha, again sorry about that but couldn't help it! Now burst, BURST INTO CHEERS MY FRIEND :D**

 **lean: No problem!**

 **Sekishiki: How many times must I say sorry, haha? But yeah again, I also felt bad for what I did to Louise, but it needed to be done, and now she and Shark can hopefully start treating each other better and get along. And yeah Shark's views on this world will definitely have impacts on the story later on, so look forward. Also sorry for no Xyz appearance yet...oh but don't worry, I got plans for those guys :D.**

 **Also thank you for answering at least 2 of my questions. I appreciate it. I will definitely take into account both your answers since I still haven't planned everything out, and they can definitely be helpful if needed *bows***

 **And DarkZexal: I AM SORRY! Not just for story but making you stay up so late to read my story! D: I hope this more than makes up for it and that you love what I put up.**

 **Well there we go, The Duel is now completed! Now to continue writing and plan out the next stage of events! Can't say when the'll be put up next, but look forward my friends! Also make sure you guys ask any questions you'd like or comment and give any ideas you wish to me. And don't forget I still have some questions in the previous chapter you can look up. Just have fun and enjoy yourselves!**

 **Until then, *blows kiss* GOODNIGHT EVERYBODY!**

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	12. Aftermaths and Deals

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support them both.

* * *

Kamishiro Ryoga stood perfectly still. His eyes were shut, his body relaxed, his breath tame, and his mind clear. Even as a soft wind blew around him he remained unmoving and stoic in the middle of the open courtyard as if he were made of stone.

Then the wind stopped.

Ryoga's eyes snapped open as his left arm shot up in front of his chest, Duel Disk at the ready. His right hand quickly followed suite and moved to the top of his deck.

"Draw!"

Pulling back hard and swift the top two cards of the deck were removed from their place and into Ryoga's palm. His gaze quickly flickered between each one before he slapped both onto the Duel Disk.

"Come forth! Big Jaws! Skull Kraken!"

The Barian crest around Ryoga's neck flickered crimson as the Duel Disk lit up with energy. A familiar torrent of water formed across the field before the Duelist as a familiar creature emerged and flew into the air. It was the same beast he had summoned against Guiche, Big Jaws. The metal-lipped shark let out a vicious gurgling sound as its' razor teeth seemed to glisten in the sunlight.

As the beast flew into the air the earth beside it began to rumble and crack, as suddenly several bone-like and clawed tentacles erupted from beneath the ground. The tentacles flailed about and hooked onto the grassy surface as a massive gray skull pulled itself out from the ground and moaned, the tentacles seeming to be attached to the bottom of the skull. The skull itself was vertically inverted with a pair of glowing red eyes in each socket and a jaw that was crookedly formed into a demonic smile. Several small silver spikes also extended from the sides of the skull, as well as formed a spiked hole on the "top" of its' head. To any normal person it would seem as if a creature from hell had suddenly been born from the peaceful grassy earth.

To Kamishiro Ryoga however, it just meant another successful day of practice.

It had been a week since he first arrived in this world and three days since he had awoken from his Duel with Guiche. The word of his victory had spread like wildfire and now everybody in the academy from the first-years to the common staff knew who he was. He personally found it annoying since it brought a lot of unwanted attention and rumors towards him, most of which revolved around the idea of him being a noble or something.

Ridiculous as the idea was Ryoga unfortunately realized that this image everyone had of him was his own fault due to the performance he had shown during the Duel. To everyone who watched the event, he somehow managed to not only summon a familiar, but also used what looked to be water magic in a way nobody had seen before, which was understandable given that he used the Duel Disk rather than a wand. These two actions alone led to him no longer being considered a mere commoner in the eyes of the students, though there were some who still doubted the whole thing.

While it was a bit annoying he supposed it could have been worse. After all nobody had yet to see him summon any of the other monsters in his deck like Skull Kraken, which was good seeing as the repercussions of _that_ revelation could be quite catastrophic. Because of this he always made sure to be careful when practicing less he be discovered. He already had several close calls by some of the members of the servant staff, all of whom luckily never saw him summoning his other monsters. Instead they had caught him, in their words not his, showing off and displaying various forms of water magic and alchemy. Though in reality it was just him testing out the various Magic and Trap Cards he possessed to see if and how they would work in this world.

He didn't miss the irony of having "Magic" Cards in a place where magic ruled.

Because of his newfound popularity though the Duelist found himself constantly hounded by the people in the school. Usually it was just those who were curious about the purple-haired boy and wanted to learn more about him. It wasn't unexpected given the circumstance, and he had dealt with similar experiences in the past when he was on the road to being a Duel Champion, and even after when he attended Heartland Academy. It may have been annoying but it wasn't that big of a deal. Though he would have liked it more if people stopped questioning him constantly.

The real annoyance came from idiotic morons that were similar to Guiche. They put on a kind smile and polite appearance, but Ryoga knew better. They were nothing but selfish pigs who kept trying to befriend him in hopes he would use whatever connections they thought he had to their advantage. He felt insulted that they hadn't the brainpower to consider such an idea actually working. That didn't stop them from trying though, and the result usually ended with a Big Jaws to their face.

It was always funny to watch them run away screaming.

Sadly though the students obsessive nature with him was actually the lesser of the negatives to come out from the Duel. Because of his newfound status as a "noble" many of the servants who worked at the academy now looked at Ryoga with uncertainty and fear. And who could blame them for it? He had displayed a form of "magic" that nobody had never seen before, and had summoned a terrifying beast of a "familiar". Because of this many of the servants now hesitated to speak with or even approach the young Duelist, as they feared his noble status and power. Heck even Siesta's boss, Marteau if he recalled right, now watched him with caution and uncertainty. In fact the only worker who continued to even speak to him was Siesta, though Ryoga hadn't seen her much as of late.

 _"Probably busy with work or something,"_ Ryoga thought to himself, though his mind felt unsettled when thinking about Siesta.

The truth was ever since their last meeting he wasn't sure what to think of the girl. Siesta claimed she didn't mind what he done and that she accepted his strange powers, but he didn't know if she was telling the truth or not. It wasn't that he thought she was the kind of person to lie about such things, but the fact was his own actions made himself out to be something he wasn't. She originally believed him to be a regular person like herself. A commoner who lived in a world where noble classes still existed and those with magic ruled. She thought she could connect with him due to their similar stature as people without magical talents, and knew about the harsh reality of the common folk.

Instead he showed that he could do things no normal commoner could, and was now being judged as a noble by everyone because of it.

Was she really okay with that? Was she really that accepting of what he could do? Ryoga didn't know but it was constantly frustrating to think about, and because of that he had been trying to find a private time to speak with Siesta about the whole thing. To see what she honestly thought and felt about it. But she seemed so busy lately that he could never get a good enough moment with her.

It also didn't help that most of his time was now spent dealing with Louise.

That was actually one big change that had occurred. Ever since the Duel the pinkette had lessened up on her attitude towards Ryoga, and had started treating him more like a person rather than an object, though she still called him familiar every now and then. She still had that very prideful and stubborn personality that annoyed the hell out of him, but it was a lot better than when Ryoga had first met the girl, so he found himself able to tolerate her a lot better. The two could actually strike up a conversation now without yelling at each other half the time, though they still did so on occasion. It also helped that many of the students who had originally bullied and mocked Louise had decided to back off out of fear of what Ryoga would do to them. That in turn had probably taken a great weight off her shoulders and helped to elevate her attitude.

But the major reason Ryoga could think of for his own change towards Louise was the discovery of her history with the school as a "Zero". It reminded him a lot of Yuma's own history with Dueling and his Kattobingu. Like Yuma, Louise acted as she did because she wanted to prove herself and not be seen as a failure, despite everyone's doubts and constant laughter towards her. She wanted to become something more than what others saw her as. To make a name for herself and achieve a dream that nobody else believed in.

This gave a lot of explanation to many of her previous actions, though Ryoga still held a lot of negativity for them. It wasn't easy to let go of first impressions like that. Still he couldn't really blame Louise now that he understood her reasons for doing such things. Instead he decided to redirect his negativity and hatred towards the ones who looked down upon and belittled her. He may have gone down that road once before, hurting people for the sake of pleasure, but thanks to Yuma and his original memories he had changed from that dark moment in his life, no longer able to stand by and watch as others were put down and had their dreams insulted. As such he made it a personal vow to never allow such a thing to happen in front of him again.

It was that same reason that he no longer felt any hatred for the pink-eyed girl, as well as the main reason why he defended her during the Duel. It was why he now supported and treated her better than when they had first met. And though she could still be a major pain in the ass when she wanted to be, Ryoga now held a minor amount of respect towards the noble girl, even if he would never say it aloud.

There was however still the whole issue of him being her "familiar" and she his '"master". Luckily he had managed to work out a very understanding and ideal solution to the problem with the headmaster and Colbert to serve both parties situations.

Though whether it was something he would come to regret or not was still up in the air.

* * *

 _"Duelist?" Osmond questioned._

 _"Yeah. It's what I'm known as back home. I'm not a noble or mage. I don't have magic and can't cast spells or anything like that. I'm just a Duelist," Ryoga explained as he watched the reactions of everyone around him._

 _It had only been a full day since he had woken up from his Duel with Guiche before he and Louise were called into the old man's office. He wasn't at all surprised and had actually expected this to happen, considering his little showing with the blonde-haired playboy. Especially since before that event everyone had thought him to be a regular commoner. And yet he had managed to kick the ass out of several bronze sentinels, displayed a high level of combat and fighting skill, and managed to summon a "familiar" and used "water magic" during the Duel._

 _That was bound to raise some questions._

 _Which also made Ryoga question himself. How_ had _he managed to use his power of Chaos again? He thought it had been lost to him when he had awoken to this strange land, as he couldn't feel it inside his body or sense it anywhere else in the area around him. And yet now he could feel it inside of him again. It was merely a fraction of the power he had compared to when he was a full Barian, but it was still there, fully functional and with no explanation._

 _So here he was, in the office of the headmaster of the school with Louise and Professor Colbert, to answer any questions they had, as well as hopefully find some for himself._

 _"I'm sorry, but is there something special about being a 'Duelist' where you are from?" Ryoga's attention turned towards Colbert who had spoken. "I mean no offense to you of course. It's just that as you were told, duels held here are always held between nobles, and usually only for special events or to settle issues and personal matters. No commoner is allowed to duel because of the dangers that could befall them in challenging a mage. Yet you claim not to be a noble or have magic despite what you displayed against Mister Gramont."_

 _"Indeed. What you did certainly looked like magic to me. Can you clear this up and explain exactly why you claim otherwise?" Osmond asked, not bothering to hide his curiosity._

 _Ryoga mentally sighed and glanced over to his left at Louise, who was also waiting for an explanation. While he had promised to explain everything to her, he had to be careful over what he said. While Osmond and Colbert already knew the truth of where he was from and would probably believe whatever else he told them, Louise had no knowledge of him being from another world, and he had no intention of letting her find out since he wasn't sure how she would react. Yet he also knew that the stubborn girl wouldn't drop the subject until he told her everything he could._

 _Thankfully Osmond and Colbert seemed to have come to the same conclusion despite their own desires for answers, and so when he had begun explaining to Louise about where he was from, the two had helped out by providing subtle hints and ideas of what he could use during the conversation. As it stood now the story they had created was that Ryoga came from a land named Heartland that was located beyond a large desert called Rub al' Khali, and that he was taught how to fight and defend himself thanks to training from an old friend who had long since passed away._ _Technically these were both half true since Heartland did exist, just in another world rather than beyond any desert. And while his first father was the one who started his lessons on fighting and self-defense, he learned most of his skills by training with Durbe._

 _The memories of which he pushed down for fear of guilt and regret._

 _Upon hearing his backstory Louise appeared quite shocked by what she was told. She had never heard of any place existing beyond the Holy Lands and Ryoga could tell she held doubts about the whole story, even if she had no way to dispute his claim. She did however feel sympathy when she heard about Ryoga's deceased friend, as she couldn't imagine what it was like for him to lose someone so close like that. She even shuddered when she considered losing the person she considered her closest friend, a concept she quickly erased out of her mind._

 _Now though she was watching him like an eagle, wanting to know exactly what he had done and how he had done it. Sighing to himself Ryoga briefly thought over what to say before nodding and holding up the device on his arm._

 _"It's because of this. It's called a Duel Disk. Back home anyone can use it to do what I did. Think of it kind of like those wands you carry around. It acts as a sort of catalyst that bends light and allows people to summon monsters using the cards you see in it," Ryoga held up his hand when Osmond opened his mouth. "And before you ask again, yes, despite how it all sounds, it isn't magic. It's just something the people from my home created, and can be used by anyone. The duels you have here, and the_ Duels _back home, are two completely different concepts. Because unlike here where duels are dangerous and even life threatening, back home it's just used for sport and enjoyment, and_ not _as a way to hurt people."_

 _It was as clear an explanation as he could give to them. It wasn't like he was lying or anything as Duel Monsters was originally made for entertainment and fun for all ages. But excruciating circumstance forced the once enjoyable Duels to become battles of life and death for the former Barian. Not that they needed to know that little detail. Besides, seeing the lack of technological advances in this place meant that they probably wouldn't be able to comprehend just how complex the device on his arm really was, and going into detail over just how ahead his world was to theirs would raise too many questions and problems he would rather not deal with._ _So for now it was better to let their imaginations run free rather than overwhelm then with such knowledge._

 _"Fascinating," Colbert said as he stared at the device, a curious expression showing on his face. "Bending light to perform a summoning? I've never heard of such a thing. And you claim anyone back where you're from can do it?"_

 _Ryoga nodded. "As long as they have a disk and cards, yeah. Even you could do it if you wanted too."_

 _"I see. How interesting," Colbert's eyes seemed to gleam at the concept. Ryoga smiled a little at the action. Who knew the professor had a geeky side to him?_

 _"Impossible!" Louise suddenly yelled drawing everybody's attention onto her. "W-What you're saying can't be possible! Only those born into nobility can use magic! No commoner can use magic or summon familiars! That goes against the founder's teachings and beliefs!"_

 _"I just said it wasn't magic remember?" Ryoga repeated as he put his arm down. "Where I'm from there's no such thing as magic or nobility, nor is there any 'founder', so none of your rules apply there. Is that really so hard to grasp?"_

 _"But that still doesn't make sense!" Louise exclaimed. "Everyone knows of Brimir and magic! It's the entire basis of how the world is! And yet you claim nobody from whatever backwaters place you came from has heard of them? You can't just say such things like that so openly! It'd be the equivalent of heresy!"_

 _Ryoga scowled, not taking the insult to his home lightly._ _"Are you even listening to me? Heck why are you even arguing this? You heard what I said before about not being from these lands right? Just because things work differently here compared to where I'm from doesn't mean one side is right and the other isn't. Besides, didn't you tell me yesterday that you believed me when I said I wasn't a noble and didn't have magic?"_

 _"That's different though!"_

 _"How is it different!?"_

 _"As entertaining as this is, I'm afraid Miss Valliere does bring up a point," Osmond interrupted the two, getting both to turn to him. "While you claim it isn't magic not many will take that at face value. I myself have no reason to believe you're lying to us, and in fact find your explanations quite interesting, but after your display in the courtyard I doubt many will believe you on words alone," his eyes motioned to Louise as if to emphasize the point._

 _Ryoga grunted but didn't bother to deny the man's words. Even he knew that his summoning of Big Jaws was going to prove to be more problematic then helpful. Now everyone would see him as another noble rather than a commoner, and even if he wanted to tell the truth he doubted it would go anywhere, as Louise had clearly shown what kind of reaction he could expect from the people here. And that was just from how his Duel Disk and cards worked._

 _He didn't even want to begin imagining the reaction that would come from knowing about the existence of another world._

 _"Still, it would probably be for the best if you kept such information to yourself from now on," Osmond continued as if reading the boy's mind. "While many will see you as simply another noble now, there are still those who would use such knowledge to their advantage against both you and Miss Valliere. Therefore I ask you both to be discrete and keep this information a secret. Understood?"_

 _"No problem's here," Ryoga nodded. He looked over to Louise for her response._

 _The noble frowned slightly but eventually relented and gave a nod as well. "Yes headmaster. Understood."_

 _Osmond nodded himself and smiled. "Excellent. I'm glad to see that worked out so well," Ryoga rolled his eyes. "Now with that out of the way, I believe that leaves only one major issue left to deal with."_

 _"What issue is that?" Ryoga asked curious. He thought they had covered everything._

 _"He means regarding your status as Miss Valliere's familiar," Colbert explained, albeit a bit nervous given the topic._

 _At those words both the Duelist and pinkette stiffened and looked directly at each other. An awkward silence passed between the two as the professor and headmaster watched in silence. After a few moments though Ryoga broke the stare and spoke first._

 _"No."_

 _"What do you mean no!?" Louise shouted before either Colbert or Osmond could get a word out. Ryoga merely closed his eyes in annoyance._

 _"Do you people ever listen? I already said I have no intention of being a familiar. Nothing has changed my mind about that," Ryoga stated firmly._

 _Despite everything that happened with the Duel and Louise, his ideas and beliefs over the whole familiar contract had not faltered. Sure he saw how the nobles treated their familiars fairly well and with respect, but this situation did not deal with those other mages or their familiars. This dealt with Louise and him. And even though things seemed to have settled down slightly between them, though they still needed to have a major talk later, judging by how she was already acting around him he doubted she'd be any kinder or gentler if he suddenly decided to become her familiar._

 _Plus despite his newfound opinions of the girl he still held true to the idea that this contract was like slavery. While it may seem more like a relationship between a pet and their owner, the fact remained that he wasn't some animal, but a human. And a human being made into a servant against his or her will was the equivalent of a slave. Sure they may not see it as such but he did, and despite how they may say or do otherwise he wouldn't take the chance._

 _He had already been manipulated and controlled by Tron and that damn Don Thousand once before, and he refused to ever allow it to happen again._

 _He would not let his freedom to be taken away._

 _Louise didn't seem to take his comment well though as she glared angrily. "But you-"_

 _"I thought as much," Osmond suddenly spoke, causing Louise to pause in her rant as she and Ryoga looked back at the headmaster. "And you're determined to keep to this decision?" He asked Ryoga._

 _The former king's eyes narrowed on the old man, uncertain of what to take of his calm nature. "Yeah. Why?"_

 _Osmond sighed and leaned back in his chair. "I see. I expected as such sadly. Though the repercussions of this will be quite difficult to deal with."_

 _"R-Repercussions?" Louise questioned nervously. Even Ryoga looked confused._

 _Colbert was the one to answer as he stepped forward. "Sadly Miss Valliere, we are not entirely sure what to do in this scenario. Never before has a familiar rejected the contract with their summoner, nor has there ever been any record of a human familiar in the school. As things stand we are uncertain over how to handle your future here in the academy, nor whether to allow you to continue your studies here."_

 _Louise's face paled as her stomach filled with fear and dread._

 _"What do you mean by that?" Ryoga inquired, his own suspicions rising._

 _"Simply put," Osmond spoke. "Without having formed a contract with you, Miss Valliere has not managed to fulfill the requirements necessary for continuing her studies here at the academy. Every second-year student must be able to summon a familiar and form a contract with it in order to move onto the next level of classes. But as you have no intention of being her familiar, it means she will be unable to continue her studies. Unfortunately, because of this I will have to inform Miss Valliere's family of the situation and discuss what to do with her."_

 _If Louise had looked scared before she was now downright terrified. Her family? Her family was going to be informed? That may as well as been the equivalent of hanging a noose around her neck._

 _Her family had always been one of the strongest and noblest of all the royal families of Tristania, and yet she was the black sheep of her family. Her inability to use magic had always been a stain on her family's name and had pushed her to succeed as desperately as she has. Not just for herself but for her name as a Valliere. But if word got out that she had summoned a familiar yet was unable to form a contract with him, then there was no telling how her family would react._

 _She could already picture the worst-case scenarios though. Her mother would punish her so badly she would probably be killed, and that was if she wasn't disowned right away. Her father probably wouldn't say a word to her and would be ashamed of even being in her presence. Eleonore would be absolutely furious and would probably berate and insult her far worse than usual. And Cattleya…_

 _Oh Brimir, Cattleya..._

 _"Louise?" Ryoga called out to the pinkette. He didn't get a response and was met with silence as the girl continued staring at the ground motionlessly, causing a frown to appear on the Duelist._

 _The fear on Louise's face said it all. He had seen that same look on the day he Dueled Guiche, when the students had discovered that he wasn't bonded to her through a contract. Only now it seemed worse. Far worse. As if her whole life had suddenly come crashing down and any joy she had was shattered like glass._

 _And dammit if it didn't just piss him off._

 _"Hey old man, is it really that big a deal?" Ryoga asked Osmond. "I mean, so she and I aren't bound by a contract, so what? It doesn't mean she can't still learn or use magic right?"_

 _"I'm afraid it's not that simple," Osmond shook his head. "While it's true she could still learn and practice magic on her own I cannot simply bend the rules for her. It also doesn't help that she was already in danger of being expelled due to her lack of magical control, as well as the constant destruction and problems she has caused from her failed spells. But now without having completed the contract with you, we have no way of knowing how to proceed with the situation nor what the consequences would be. Despite being a daughter of the Valliere's I cannot show favoritism towards one particular student in a matter so dear, especially once word spreads about this situation."_

 _"I don't get it. Does something like that really matter?" Ryoga questioned, not understanding the point behind the reasoning._

 _"You must understand, the familiar contract is a cherished and sacred tradition here at the academy," Colbert explained as he adjusted his glasses. "It is a sign of maturity and growth for the students, as well as proves that they are ready to take the next step towards becoming true nobles. However because of this, the students must be able to demonstrate their ability and courage to take such a commitment on their own, as with that maturity comes a great deal of responsibilities and promises that will be required of them. Were we to show favoritism towards Miss Valliere in regards to failing the ritual, many would see it as an insult towards the ritual and themselves."_

 _Osmond nodded in agreement. "Worse still is that Miss Valliere would continue to be seen as a child throughout the eyes of every noble out there. And that will only lead to a dangerous future for her."_

 _Ryoga frowned. He had a good idea what the old man meant, but he had to hear it for himself. "Just what do you mean by that?"_

 _Osmond hesitated for a moment. He didn't wish to bring up a subject like this when the one who it would be affecting was in the room, but he could also tell that the boy before him wouldn't let the matter drop so easily. Looking over at Louise the headmaster mentally sighed and braced himself for what he was about to say._

 _"Simply put, once word gets out about her failing something so sacred and cherished as the familiar contract, many nobles and commoners will leap to use such knowledge to their advantage. In fact, her family name will simply make things worse, as the Valliere's have many rivals and enemies lurking about just waiting for the opportunity to use any tiny detail they can find against the family. This means that Miss Valliere will become a target for such people, and as such will bring many enemies wherever she goes. While I wish there was another way to prevent such a future for her, I cannot risk bringing such danger to my other students or staff. And so I must contact her family and discuss the next step. Even if it means having her leave and sending her back home."_

 _Ryoga's mind processed the information as he looked back over to Louise to judge her reaction. She didn't seem to be affected outwardly, as she still remained in place, silent and unmoving. Yet he knew better too look past such base observations, and upon closer inspection was able to see that the fear in her eyes had grown even larger over such knowledge, which only served to frustrate him further._

 _"But it's not like anyone needs to know right?" The Duelist asked, his voice trying to stay even but cracking with the emotions he felt._ " _I mean the only ones who do right now are all at the academy aren't they? Can't you just keep them from saying anything?"_

 _"You give me too much credit child," Osmond said with a shake of his head. "Even I as headmaster do not have full control over what my students and staff write or say to those outside these walls. Eventually word will spread, and when it does there will be repercussions based on what actions are taken towards Miss Valliere. It is why the best option is to let her family decide her fate."_

 _"Bullshit!"_

 _Ryoga slammed his hand onto the headmaster's desk, the loud banging causing Louise and Colbert to jump._

 _"R-Ryoga?" Louise spoke, having broken from her fear-induced trance as she looked at the Duelist, surprised by his sudden anger._

 _"Mister Ryoga that's n-" Colbert began only to pause when Osmond raised a hand to stop him._

 _"And why exactly is that so negative in your eyes Mister Ryoga?" Osmond asked in a completely calm manner, despite the glare directed at him._

 _"Don't play games old man," Ryoga growled. "You and I both can see clear as day that that is the last thing Louise wants. I may not know what the deal is, but it's clear she's terrified over the idea of her family knowing, meaning there's a good chance that her life here would be finished anyways. Am I right Louise?" He looked at the noble for confirmation._

 _"R-Ryoga why are you...?" Louise stuttered out confused._

 _"And why do you care?" Osmond questioned as he kept his gaze locked solely on the boy before him. "You said it yourself, she is not your master, nor you her familiar. It has nothing to do with you correct? So why do you suddenly care about what happens to her?"_

 _Ryoga's eyes widened as he became silent. Everybody watched him anxiously, awaiting to see and hear what his response would be. After a moment the Duelist closed his eyes and removed his hand from the desk, straightening himself as he pocketed his hands._

 _"You're right, it has nothing to do with me. Frankly if given a choice, I would rather just leave this damn place and spend my time trying to find a way back home rather than sit around and be some stubborn and prideful little kid's pet," the purple-haired boy stated._

 _Louise's teeth clenched. Despite her own fears and confusion at the moment she felt angry and hurt over the words coming from the Duelist, especially after how different things were looking between them._

 _"You-"_

 _"BUT," Ryoga suddenly continued as his eyes snapped open, revealing the same level of seriousness he had during the Duel with the Gramont. "If Louise doesn't want to leave this place than she shouldn't have too. Just because things aren't going like they should doesn't mean it should ruin someone else's hopes and dreams. I won't stand by and listen to something so stupid as letting someone's future be decided for them by another!"_

 _He would not let it happen again. He had seen it happen to too many innocent people in his life. His kingdom. His friends. The emperors._

 _Rio._

 _He would not let another person's future and hope be controlled by someone else again!_

 _"Ryoga..." Louise's anger died as she looked at him confused._

 _She couldn't understand him. He didn't want to be her familiar and had a distinct hate for nobles and how they treated commoners. He wanted to have his freedom and not be tied down in any way, and clearly still had issues with everything that had happened to him._

 _And yet, here he was. Standing up for her just as he had done so during his battle with Guiche. He was here trying to help her in staying at the academy and keeping her family from finding out the truth about the contract, when he could have just as easily allowed it to happen and walked away. Even after all the things she had done, such as bringing him here against his will and treating him as badly as she did when he first arrived, he still defended her. Whether it was against Guiche or even the headmaster, he still stood up to them without any hesitation and helped her every time she was hurt or saddened._

 _For some reason it made her chest feel heavy._

 _Colbert and Osmond looked at Ryoga before turning towards each other. Neither expected such a reaction from the sapphire-eyed teen, despite watching what he had done during his duel with Sir Gramont. It was rather surprising and had caught them off guard._

 _They were the only ones who knew the truth about the boy's origins, despite some minuscule measure of doubt they still had, and had already concluded based on what they had seen that he couldn't be forced to do something against his will. He held a strong and distinct nature about him that reminded them of several powerful nobles, and to see such action from a boy so young was quite surprising. It made both men wonder just what kind of events the boy had been through to become so strong willed and determined._

 _And yet it seemed that he had in him a distinct nature to help others despite whatever feelings he may have at the time. Even after his first meeting with Miss Valliere had gone south, he still defended her during the duel. It was something about the boy that couldn't be explained or understood, but seemed to be a hidden strength of his that he himself might not have been aware of._

 _Osmond smiled lightly at the thought. "I see. I can certainly say I respect how strongly you hold onto such opinions," his smile faded as he once again gained a serious look about him. "However, I'm afraid that even if you are right in what you say, it does not change the current situation. Unless you suddenly wish to become Miss Valliere's familiar I do not see many other options available to help us solve this problem. Of course if you have any ideas over what to do I'd be more than happy to hear them."_

 _Ryoga teeth grit in annoyance but didn't he speak. Much as he wished to deny it he knew the old man had a point. Despite his words they would mean nothing unless he somehow thought of a way to solve everyone's problems. He refused to be tied down and forced to be a servant to someone again, but he wasn't going to watch somebody like Louise have her own hope and future taken from her. It was two conflicting issues that needed to be addressed, and unless there was a way to get someone else to play the role of familiar he would-_

 _Ryoga's eyes widened._

 _Wait a second._

 _Play the role?_

 _The Duelist's mind began to race as Osmond and Colbert watched with calm and curious eyes, having noticed the teen's expression and assuming he was formulating some sort of plan to try and fix the situation. Louise meanwhile began praying to Brimir that despite how bleak and hopeless it may seem, that Ryoga would think of something, anything, to help her out. That he would somehow help her to stay in the academy and not return home. That he would give her the same level of hope he had when facing Guiche._

 _After a couple of minutes, Ryoga looked up at Osmond and nodded. "I think I have an idea."_

 _Everyone's breath hitched._

 _"Are you serious?" Osmond questioned sternly. Had the boy truly come up with an idea that could solve their issues? It wasn't that he doubted him, but the headmaster had to be absolutely sure that Ryoga knew what he was talking about. For if whatever he planned didn't work out, it could have dire consequences for both them and the school. After receiving a nod in response the old man became fully focused. "Then tell us. What exactly do you have in mind?"_

 _Ryoga remained silent for a moment as he gathered his thoughts, trying to figure out the best way to explain his idea. After a few seconds he opened his mouth and spoke._

 _"Is it possible to become someone's familiar, but not take part in the contract?"_

 _Silence filled the room._

 _Absolute silence._

 _Before it was shattered by a choir of disbelief._

* * *

Ryoga nearly chuckled as he recalled the faces of the old geezers and Louise after he had asked that question. If only he had a camera on him at the time.

Granted it hadn't been the best thought out idea, as he had come up with it on the spot, but it certainly wasn't the worst either. After all it wasn't like he didn't know how pretend and act a certain role in front of others, and really all he had to do was stay with Louise and play the part of her "familiar" when needed to.

Of course the concept of the familiar ruins to prove his connection to the pink-haired chibi was a slight issue. If someone asked to see them to prove the connection, then it could cause a problem since they wouldn't exist on Ryoga's body, which was apparently the case for all familiars. However Ryoga figured that since the runes had to indicate the familiar's connection to the master, that they could be located on not just the summoned familiar's body, but on anything belonging to them as well.

So why not his deck?

Nobody in this world could read the text on his cards nor understand what they meant, meaning they had no way to confirm or deny them to be familiar ruins. Of course people could always go investigate if they wished, but Ryoga figured that there had to have been some form of ruins and text that had been lost to the ages, something Colbert had immediately confirmed. Besides, since none of them had heard of a human familiar before, chances were that nobody else could say they were lying as there was no evidence to go by. Therefore it could be easy to define that the boy's cards were his tie as a familiar contract to Louise.

Despite this thought process Ryoga still had to convince the others that his plan was the best solution for all sides. Osmond was surprisingly the easiest to convince and first to accept the idea, having kept an open mind about the subject and seeming to have weighed the pros and cons rather quickly. He agreed that while a bit unconventional it would certainly solve many of their problems so long as nobody outside the four of them knew the truth. Colbert took a bit more persuasion, as the man seemed to hold the idea of traditions of the ceremonies quite highly. However with some help from the headmaster the bald professor eventually agreed, though he still seemed unsure about such actions.

Of course the only one who had _really_ put up a protest was Ryoga's new "master". Her damn pride as a noble clearly hadn't taken well to the idea of him only pretending to be her familiar, let alone lying to everybody since it could be seen as an insult to being a true noble. It was only due to his reminder of her other options that Louise finally shut up and accepted the idea, rather grudgingly though.

Ryoga did have some request though for agreeing to this plan, much to Louise's dismay, though they weren't exactly unreasonable. Since he was going to be living in this place now he felt it best to be taught as much as he could about this world's history, as well as how to read and write the language. So his first request was to get someone to teach him. He immediately rejected the idea of Louise doing so because A, he knew they would probably argue more rather than get any actual learning done, and B, she would probably blow him up again if she got really pissed.

He really didn't want to be blown up again.

He also requested that the person teaching him be a student, as he knew that if he was being lectured by some old professor that he'd probably get annoyed and ignore them before long. Despite his issues with the students he knew he'd probably have an easier time if one of them taught him. Though he made sure to let Osmond know to be cautious about who he picked, less that person end up being shark food. The old man couldn't tell if he was joking or not, but decided not to test the threat out.

The other request was a small stipend. While Ryoga may now be pretending to be Louise's familiar the Duelist had no intention of using her connections or wealth in case he needed to get something, especially since she was a noble. Instead he would rather be given a small amount of money each month that he could either use or save up for future plans he had, considering he had no idea how long he would be staying in this world, and that they could label it as "services rendered" if they were worried.

Thankfully Osmond seemed to find both request reasonable and accepted them. Ryoga had already received his first "payment" of fifty new gold coins, which he chuckled at seeing as he hadn't had any of these since his first life. As for the tutor, he was still waiting on that but figured it was understandable given that the headmaster wanted to make sure the person he chooses didn't piss off the water Duelist and end up causing more chaos.

Since then the word had spread throughout the academy that Ryoga had now formed a contract with Louise and had officially become her familiar. Rumors varied over his reasons but he didn't care because it simply meant his plan was working. As long as he continued to play the part of "familiar" when it was required, Louise wouldn't have to leave the school, her family wouldn't have to know, he would have a place to stay for the time, and all while being able to keep his freedom and do as he wished.

Overall, it wasn't a half bad deal. Though he still debated on whether it was worth it given his new position with Louise.

Pushing the thoughts aside Ryoga focused back onto his two monsters, watching as both moved around and seemed to be exploring the area. He was still trying to understand what exactly happened during the Duel with Guiche that had allowed him to regain his power of Chaos again.

When Louise had summoned him to this world he knew immediately that he had been reborn as a normal human once more, even if he hadn't realized it at the time. His body had felt the same as it did during his time in Heartland and he couldn't feel a single trace of the power of Chaos anywhere within his veins. He also couldn't hear the voices of his Duel Monsters in his deck, something he was able to naturally in all his previous lives, yet at the time it felt as if he had been completely blocked off from them.

And yet here he was in a human body, capable of wielding the power of Chaos and being able to bring his monsters to life once more. How was that even possible? Did he not lose his powers when he lost against Yuma and Astral? Didn't his Chaos fade away along with his life?

And why was it than when he now used the power of Chaos, did it feel so different?

Chaos had always had a certain density and weight to it, mostly due to the conflict of emotions between light and dark that it was born from. That was what Chaos essentially was, the struggling balance between light and dark. This conflict made the power of Chaos wild and savage in nature, allowing it to give birth to many powerful and destructive abilities such twisting reality to the wielders will or corrupting the minds of others.

But now whenever he channeled the power of Chaos, he didn't feel the same savage nature he was used too. He hadn't noticed it at first, but after experimenting these past few days he realized that the Chaos inside of him had felt lighter than before, almost cleaner even. The tension between light and dark had dwindled significantly, and he now felt a sort of semi-balance between the two forces. The conflict was still there, but at a much tamer level. Even now as he summoned both Big Jaws and Skull Kraken, Ryoga felt that same lightness flow through his veins to give shape to his monsters.

"What does it all mean though?" Ryoga questioned as he looked down to his Barian pendant.

"Who are you talking too?"

Ryoga turned around surprised by the voice only to relax upon seeing Louise. "Oh, it's only you."

"And just what is that supposed to mean?" Louise asked, her tone less then pleased with his words.

"Nothing. Just forget it," Ryoga replied. He didn't need to worry about Louise seeing Skull Kraken since she already knew he had more than one monster from when he showed her his deck, even if she had gone into a whole rant about it. He still removed the cards from the Duel Disk though, causing the monsters to fade away into balls of light. "So what's up? You need me for something?"

Louise huffed and crossed her arms. "Obviously, why else would I be searching for you?" Ryoga opened his mouth to answer but Louise's glare made him shut up. "Did you forget that my morning classes are starting soon?"

Ryoga blinked and thought over it before shrugging. "I guess. What of it?"

Louise's eyebrow twitched as she forced herself to stay calm. "Don't you remember our conversation yesterday? I told you, one of your duties as a familiar is to always escort your master to any class they take. It's to ensure that the master arrives safely and appropriately to their destination. And seeing as you are my familiar-"

"Pretend," Ryoga reminded the pinkette.

" _Pretend_ familiar," Louise spat out, her brow twitching more fiercely. She then let out a loud sigh and dropped her arms. "Look, the point is you were taking too long to get back, so I came out here to look for you. Honestly, why was I stuck with such a lazy familiar?"

Ryoga bit back his tongue, though it was _very_ tempting not too.

"At any rate, class will be starting soon and I don't want to be late because of your lack of recollection. We're going now and I expect you to be on your best behavior, understood?" Louise said as she pointed at Ryoga to ensure her point came across. The Duelist just rolled his eyes and nodded.

"Yeah, yeah I get it. Let's just get this over with."

With that Ryoga calmly walked past Louise, ignoring her shouts of him going in the wrong direction. Yup, he definitely questioned if he had made the right choice with this little "agreement".

As the master and "familiar" walked off, the two never noticed a pair of amber eyes watching him from the distance, matched alongside a very sultry smile.

* * *

 ***BLOWS DOWN DOORS WITH A SHOTGUN AND STEPS THROUGH CALMLY WHILE WEARING A PAIR OF BLACK SUNGLASSES***

 **"I said I'd be back" *COCKS SHOTGUN***

 **Hey guys! Glad to see you all again, metaphorically anyways. I was so happy to see the amount of positivity with the duel in the last chapter and really want to thank you guys. I worked hard on it and I know a lot of people didn't expect it to go as it did, but I'm glad you all liked it regardless!**

 **Now starting Monday I get a new schedule on my workflow so I don't know how this will affect the story updates and all, but don't worry as I am still writing and planning out events. In fact I rewatched the entire first and second season and have MAJOR ideas and plans set up for it, though...*looks at story* based on how I write, the exact time when those will appear is unknown...eheheh ^^;. Yeah expect this story to be a LONG one, but I hope you'll all join me through it and help me out. I wouldn't be here without you.**

 **NOW FOR THE REVIEWS!**

 **Omega Porunga: Hey man good to see ya again! :D Glad you're still enjoying the story and thank you so much for the support. I really hope you'll love what I got planned. As for your ideas, the dream one could be helpful later on as as you can see, Ryoga's not quite a true "familiar", though I think I could possibly still use that for another plan. And that now makes two for Tabitha, haha. The tragedies could certainly help the two bond though, so I'll definitely keep it in mind.**

 **FOJ: I'm glad you loved it so much. And yeah in a real fight you can't be expected to wait your turn, and while Ryoga may be used to that sort of thing with Dueling, he's also fought real battles and wars, as well as had to defend himself during opponent's turns in duels, so he wash't as caught off guard as someone like Yuma would be.**

 **duskrider: Well that's kinda why I did it. See I know I could have easily summoned an xyz in there if I wanted...but yeah let's face it, anything above Big Jaws is just overkill on poor Guiche. I don't want to murder the poor bastard, just give him some PTSD about sharks *grins evilly*. Besides the big boys will be coming in later on, and rushing the special events so soon would be boring.**

 **Guest 1: Yeah, like I said to duskrider, anything above Big Jaws would have been overkill. Though don't worry as when future fights come in you'll definitely be seeing Ryoga using more of his cards and monsters to fight back. And let me tell you I got some fun ideas with all the stuff I can create with them, haha.**

 **Touhou is Life: Gah I'm sorry about the Big jaws! D: But do you guys really want to watch Guiche get beat down by Black Ray or Aero Shark...*debates idea*...okay I admit it would have been hilarious but also a bit cruel. The order of which events will go will be around the anime, for now anyways. I have debated on reading the manga to get ideas, but for now the direction the anime follows will be where the story leads in terms of arcs. As for the other familiars, here's the thing.**

 **In the original story Saito was the ONLY person from his world to become a familiar. The others were all from this world. Now I'm not saying anything about having the other familiars be people from Ryoga's world, but this fact means that Sheffield and Julio were already living in the Zero no Tsukaima world, and I don't like removing characters out of context for no reason. The only reason Saito isn't here is because Ryoga took his place, and the Japanese teen is probably at home watching anime or at school observing girls in school uniforms...lucky bastard.**

 **But anyways, I think I have an idea in regards to what I plan to do with the familiars, so don't worry.**

 **Guest 2: I'm happy you approve man! And thank you for the compliment, as I was worried if I was doing Shark any justice in his character. I'm glad to know one person thinks so ^^**

 **Sekishiki: *Hangs head* Yes I know, Big Jaws, Xyz...I'm sorry! But anyways as you read, Ryoga can definitely use magic and trap cards just as well as his monsters. But the question is, how do magic and trap cards work in this world? Oh you'll see. It also leaves a small debate in your head on this...if monsters can be summoned...then what does that mean for their effects? *grins***

 **And finally DarkZexal: I am glad you're hyped! And hopefully you didn't stay up till 5am like before, haha**

 **Well now, that's everything. As I said I don't know how new schedule will affect my posting, so stay strong and wait for me guys!**

 **And now before I go...one last bonus, as a completion of the first real arc. I was debating doing it on the previous chapter, but hopefully you guys will like it. You can also skip it if you want, but either way it was done for fun and I hope you like it.**

 **So I give to you all...THE OPENING!**

* * *

Opening: Masterpiece (Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal Opening 1) by mihimaru GT

Music begins to kick in as the scene opens up showing the Barian Pendant resting on a table surrounded by various Duel Monster cards, only for a hand to grab it and move past the screen.

 _Ame no hi mo kaze no hi mo gokkan no fubuki mo shakunetsu no taiyou mo (Whether it's rainy, or windy, or a cold winter blizzard, or the burning sun,)_

Three pictures are shown in a row. The first being a close up of Ryoga smiling at the sky. The second of him arguing with Louise. And the third of him laying on the ground sleeping.

 _Subete hibi wo irodoru zairyou, hekotarenaide ishi to ai wo (They're all ingredients to color each day. Don't lose heart, will or love.)_

Three more pictures are shown, the first being a close up of Louise smiling from her bedroom window. The second being her chasing after Ryoga angrily as he looked back confused while standing next to Siesta. And the third being Louise standing embarrassed in the middle of a blown up classroom with several students laid flat on the ground out cold while Ryoga facepalms beside her.

 _Kimi ga kureta yasashisa wa kibishisa (The kindess you gave me was strict)_ _Butsukaru koto de shitta modokashisa_ ( _When we clashed I learned irritation.)_

Three more images appear. The first being a close up of Ryoga's face as his D-Gazer is equipped and holds a card in hand. The second being him drawing a card from his equipped Duel Disk. The third shows him standing ready to Duel with a wide grin.

 _Chigai wo mitomeru koto de hajimaru juuoumujin odore tenchikaibyaku (It starts by recognizing our differences, dancing freely, the creation of Heaven and Earth.)_

Ryoga and Louise are seen standing on top of the academy main tower roof, as the sun rises upon their smiling faces as the title appears.

 **Zero no Tsukaima and Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal presents:**

 **BARIAN OF THE VOID.**

 _Hontou wa sabishikatta kimi ni au made wa (The truth is, I was lonely. Until I met you.)_

The camera pans around Ryoga as he grins widely. Three shots are seen of his Duel Disk, his D-Gazer, and his Barian Pendant.

 _Hitori de iru hou ga kiraku_ _nan datte usotsuite ita (I lied to myself that being alone was easier.)_

Ryoga runs and front flips off the top of the academy tower before the scene shifts to show him and Louise walking side by side towards the school, with Louise talking and Ryoga's eyes being shut.

 _Suki na honmo_ s _humi mo marude awanai kedo (My favorite books and hobbies, they don't seem to match.)_

A close up of the previous scene shows Louise getting annoyed by Ryoga ignoring her only for Siesta, Katie, and Kirche to suddenly appear and grab Ryoga away from the pinkette, much to her and the Duelist's shock as Louise shouts and chases while Guiche and Montmorency sigh as they watch from the side.

A brief glimpse of the family picture in Ryoga's shark-toothed pendant appears as it twinkles in the moonlight.

The scene changes as Siesta appears in front of the camera smiling and twirling around before posing. Kirche, Tabitha, Katie, and Henrietta then appear from the right and left of the maid, with the redhead, first-year, and princess smiling and posing as well while Tabitha remains as calm and collected as ever.

 _Kimi dake da yo_ _unazuite kureta no wa (You were the only one to nod in agreement with me.)_

Black Ray Lancer appears as he flies at the screen with spear at the ready.

The scene changes to show Louise and Ryoga back to back in the dark, the Duelist holding his shark-toothed necklace while Louise looks down at her wand.

 _Yorokobi to kanashimi to ikari to_ _DO to RE to MI to FA to SO to RA to SHI to DO (Happiness and sadness and anger and Do and Re and Mi and Fa and So and La and Ti and Do,)_

Six quick pictures appear. The first being Louise and Ryoga pointing and yelling at each other. The second being the two walking in the courtyard at sunset, with Ryoga behind Louise. The third shows Ryoga about to Duel as Louise calls out to him from behind with Siesta, Katie, and Kirche cheering alongside her, as Guiche, Montmorency, and Tabitha watch from the other side. The fourth is of Ryoga eating outside with the other familiars as Sylphid nuzzles him while Louise just shakes her head. The fifth shows the inside of a dark place as what appears to be a large statue of some sort is seen in the shadows. The final picture is of Louise and Ryoga at her windowsill watching the two moons together.

 _Chigawanakya dekinai HARMONY to SCENARIO (It doesn't work unless they're different, the harmony and scenario.)_

The scene shifts to the previous scene of the two back to back as they look up and turn towards each other, eyes wide with surprise.

 _Dare mo onaji ja nai (No one is exactly the same,)_

Ryoga is seen with Duel Disk and D-Gazer equipped, his left hand holding five cards as he spins and draws a sixth as Louise appears beside him with wand at the ready.

 _Sore koso ga ikiteru imi dakara (Because that's the reason for living.)_

A dark cloaked woman with green hair appears facing the opposite direction as she grins and swings her wand down as a large golem of earth forms in front of her.

A dark alleyway is then seen as a silver-haired man in noble robes and wearing a hat looks up to reveal a dark aura engulfing his left eye.

 _Tokitoshite dashita oto ga fukyouwaon demo (Even if the sounds are dissonant from time to time,)_

A figure in a black robe jumps back to reveal a silver and blue Duel Disk on left arm, as it draws a card and swings it forward as arcs of electricity form around the figure.

The kingdom of Tristania is shown at night as dozens of cards appear in the sky and glow, as the image of a large shadowy figure seems to hold its' palms above the kingdom, one of which is decorated with a silver ring containing a purple gem.

 _Dakara akiramenai_ s _hinji nukeru tsuyosa de (Don't give up on the strength that will get you through.)_

Camera zooms in towards the academy and towards the roof as Tabitha and Sylphid are seen sitting on it, as the blue-haired girl reached up towards the twin moons and grasp at the air.

The screen flashes as the black robed figure and Ryoga clash their Duel Disk fiercely against one another before both push off each other and land on their feet.

 _Tadori tsukeru sekai no hate de_ _kimi to miru keshiki ga shinjitsu nanda (When we reach the edge of the world, the view we will see will be the truth.)_

Ryoga continues from previous scene as he swings a rusted looking sword before Louise steps in front of him and aims her wand as she fires a bolt of white light at the screen.

The scene shifts to show Louise on a grass field and looking up as Ryoga looks down at her and huffs before holding out a hand. Louise blinks surprised before smiling and taking the hand with her own, causing a light to shine brightly from the ring on the Duelist's finger.

 _Ame no hi mo kaze no hi mo gokkan no fubuki mo shakunetsu no taiyou mo (Whether it's rainy, or windy', or a cold winter blizzard, or the burning sun,)_

Big Jaws flies at the screen and chomps down being quickly followed by Aero Shark as it unleashes a volley of torpedoes.

 _Subete hibi wo irodoru zairyou hekotarenaide ishi to ai wo (They're all ingredients to the color eacy day. Don't lose heart, will or love.)_

Skull Krakken appears from below and jumps away as Jawsman charges in roaring. Black Ray Lancer then flies towards the screen, eyes glowing and spear pulled back

 _Kimi ga kureta yasashisa wa kibishisa (The kindness you gave me was strict,)_ _Butsukaru koto de shitta modokashisa (When we clashed I learned irritation.)_

Black Ray braces himself as a shadowy serpent head clamps down on his spear and pushes. Black Ray then swings the spear knocking the head back to reveal two more heads, the three attached onto a single body with a pair of dark black wings. The three headed beast roars and charges while Black Ray does the same as he spins his spear while it glows brightly.

 _Chigai wo mitomeru koto de hajimaru juuoumujin odore tenchikaibyaku (It starts by recognizing our differences, dancing freely, the creation of Heaven and Earth.)_

A split screen is shown of Ryoga and Louise's eyes side by side before returning to normal with the two being seen standing beside each other. Ryoga lifts his Duel Disk to the air while Louise does the same with her wand, as a burst of crimson light forms from the sky and engulfs the screen.

The final scene is of Louise and Ryoga smiling back to back as they hover in the air while Siesta, Kirche, Tabitha, Katie, Henrietta, Guiche, and Montmorency are all seen in the background smiling and waving, while the ghostly image of the Barian pendant is seen and shines with a red gleam.

End

* * *

 **Hope you liked it :D Until next time *puts on black sunglasses* I'll be back.**

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	13. Adapting to Academy Life

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works (Will explain slight change later.)

* * *

Siesta sighed as she put down a basket of laundry and wiped her brow. Another day, another cleaning of the students clothing. It was busy as usual for the servants of the academy and the workload didn't seem like it would be slowing down anytime soon. Normally that wouldn't be a problem for the young maid since she was used to such manual labor even back home, but lately her mind had been distracted and was causing her to lose focus and daydream during her work.

The cause of the distraction being the infamous familiar named Kamishiro Ryoga.

Or simply to her, Shark-san.

Ever since the duel between Shark-san and Sir Gramont, the young maid constantly found herself thinking about the mysterious teenager and his actions. How he had stood up to a noble, openly defied the status quo of how commoners were treated, and somehow even managed to defeat Sir Gramont in battle despite all the odds being stacked against him. It was absolutely incredible, and had been the talk of the whole school for the past few days.

Of course the methods in which Shark-san had done so had brought just as much attention to himself as his actions. His once considered commoner status had been quickly replaced after the duel, as he was now considered to be a noble himself by most of the academy. Mostly likely a fallen noble based on his actions and words. It was expected Siesta supposed, as she too witnessed him summon that strange creature and unleash that torrent of water against Sir Gramont's valkyries. If she hadn't met Shark-san the night before or even spoken to him, she probably would have believed the rumors of him being a noble as well.

As it stood though the people in the academy were split on how to look at the boy summoned by Miss Valliere. While the general consensus from the noble students was a newfound respect and admiration for the Duelist, along with some greed from what she had heard of their actions regarding him, many of Siesta's fellow workers kept their distance from him. The idea that he was a noble, and a powerful one at that, left many of those she worked with greatly concerned and worried over how he would treat them.

Despite the difference in class stature most of the nobles in the school were relatively neutral with their interactions regarding the staff, with only a handful of students ever treating them badly, but this time they were faced with something unknown even to them and weren't sure how to respond. Even her boss wasn't sure what to think of Shark-san now. While he seemed to like the idea of the nobles being knocked down a peg, the fact that it was someone who could be just the same as them had left the man with a feeling of uncertainty. Siesta could understand their fears she supposed, as they were all simply commoners and had no strength against the noble class. How could any of them hope to match someone like that?

At least, that was what she believed too before Shark-san came into her life.

Whether he was a noble or not, Shark-san had proven himself to be an amazingly strong person. He was headstrong, confidant, stern, and could be very intimidating at times, yet he also had a kind and caring side to him as well, and seemed to hold true to his beliefs no matter what anyone said. He had treated her with an equal respect and status she had not seen from any noble before, and even offered his aid when she accidentally dropped the desserts. No noble, least none she had met before, would have ever done such a thing for her. And of course the way he defended her and the other commoner's place in the world was something she couldn't ever erase from her mind. She could still hear the strength in his words even now.

But of course the one thing that stood out amongst everything else was his defense of Miss Vallire. Despite the anger and fighting that occurred between the two, Shark-san still stood up for the pink-haired noble when her fellow classmates had openly mocked the poor girl. Siesta had also wanted to help out and defend Miss Valliere when she witnessed the other nobles tormenting her, having seen such similar cases with those she worked with, but the maid knew that she wouldn't be able to do anything about it. It was a weakness that she hated about her status as a commoner, as her actions meant little to those with magic, even when it was meant to help them. Because of that she couldn't find the strength to stand by the small noble's side when they began calling her a "Nothing".

But Shark-san did. He defended the same person he had hated just moments before and had stopped the laughter in an instant. He fought not just for himself or the status of the commoners anymore, but for Miss Valliere despite all the problems they had with each other. Maybe Siesta's words had gotten through to him when she told him of the girl's troubles with the students, but even so she couldn't believe her eyes when she watched him fight against Sir Gramont. Even when he was beaten down and hurt badly, he still had the strength to keep fighting and never quit. Instead of laying down and surrendering, he kept pushing forward with everything he had to ensure that he came out victorious and protected what he was fighting for.

It was in that moment that Siesta didn't care who or what he was. Commoner or noble, magic or no magic, none of it mattered to her anymore.

To her, Shark-san was simply Shark-san. A mysterious but kind-hearted boy that she was happy to have met.

Even when she heard he had become Miss Valliere's familiar she didn't judge or think of him any differently. He was someone who had given her a newfound courage and strength in herself. Someone who showed her that she could be capable of so much more if she did her best and never gave up. Someone who showed that despite the odds, there was always a chance to beat them and protect what you believed in. That's why she believed him when he said he wasn't a noble and that what he did wasn't magic. Even if everybody else said otherwise, she would always trust him.

She only wished she had a chance to speak to the ocean-eyed teen again. She hadn't gotten a chance to see him since the duel, only just being able to catch sight of him from a distance next to Miss Valliere whenever they passed by. Yet she hoped that soon she'd be able to get the chance to spend some time with him and get to know him better. Just the two of them alone, talking to each other like he had the night she met him. Learning all she could about the mysterious boy who had popped into her life.

Like where was he from? Did he have any family? What did he do before he came here? What sort of things did he like? How could he do such amazing things?

If he had a gir-

"Ah, what am I thinking!?" Siesta shouted as a heavy blush filled her face. The maid fought down the burning sensation in her cheeks and rapidly shook her head of the thoughts.

She was getting distracted again, and these clothes wouldn't clean themselves. Grabbing the closest one on top she turned to the wash bin and began working. She could think about Shark-san another time, and hopefully be able to talk to him the next time she got the chance to see him. Well, so long as he could handle the time spent with the nobles and Miss Valliere.

But she had faith that he would be fine. After all if he could stand up to a noble like Sir Gramont, then who knows what else the purple-colored boy could handle.

* * *

Ryoga was bored. Absolutely bored.

He had never been one for school or classes as he had always found them troublesome and a waste of time for someone like him, hence the reason he often skipped lectures back in Heartland Academy and just ended up sleeping on the roof of the school instead. So it was no surprise to find that he could give two yen towards the current lecture going on.

One of the negatives of being Louise's "familiar" was that he was forced to attend every class she was in despite the fact he was just there so that he didn't cause trouble somewhere else, which to be fair was a valid point even by his standards. At first the concept didn't seem so bad as despite Osmond working to get him a tutor, hopefully one that wouldn't end up as shark bait, he could still hope to learn as much as he could about this world and the methods behind how things worked, such as their magic. But just as he told the old principal, he was not one to listen to adults well when they began lecturing, and after a while he had grown irritated just by being in the classroom and hearing the elders yapping their mouths off, though he knew he couldn't do anything about it.

Not like his "master" would allow him to leave anyways.

Speaking of the chibi the Duelist turned his gaze over to Louise, who was completely focused on the class lecture and the professor's words and was taking down as many notes as she could. He had to give credit that despite what people said she at least was not one to slack off on her studies. It showed how determined she was to prove everybody wrong and actually brought up his respect points for her a bit.

Only a bit.

"The elements fire, water, wind, and earth can be combined to create stronger and more diverse effects," the voice of the professor spoke out making Ryoga turn his attention back to the lecture. Even if the woman made it boring to listen too he could at least pay attention to this part since it regarded the magic of this world. "Furthermore, the levels of mages are determined by just how many we can combine. Can anyone tell me what they are?"

"Yes ma'am," a voice spoke up from behind Ryoga. Glancing over his shoulder to get a better look he caught sight of Montmorency, the other girl Guiche tried to two-time. From what he heard she still hadn't forgiven the other blonde, who had been begging her for forgiveness since the end of their Duel. Ryoga doubted it would get anywhere. "If you combine two elements it makes a line. Three elements make a triangle, and four makes a square."

Ryoga's brow rose at the information. Finally, something that sounded interesting from someone else. " _A rather simple explanation, but it doesn't make it any less effective in understanding,"_ he thought to himself. _"The more elements you wield the more dangerous and powerful you are, similar to how Levels and Ranks determine how strong a Monster Card is. Kind of obvious, but good to know if I ever face against someone labeled as a triangle mage or something."_

A huff caught his attention as he turned to see Louise glaring at him before turning away herself, earning a confused look from the Duelist. What had he done now?

The professor continued her lecture after thanking the female noble for her input. "Now since I can assume most of you have only one element to deal with let us-"

"Mrs. Chevreuse, pardon the interruption but I believe you're mistaken," Kirche suddenly spoke up, a teasing grin on her lips. "As there is one person in this classroom who can't even use any elements, with a zero percent chance of success."

Ryoga blinked and quickly noticed everyone's gaze suddenly turn towards his direction. Rather towards his "master's" direction as he realized what they were implying. Louise herself remained completely calm and kept her eyes forward, but the former Barian easily noticed the slight twitch of her hand and frowned.

Despite the bullying having considerably lessoned after the Duel Louise was still being addressed as a Zero many times by the students, though when Ryoga was around this was usually done either in secret or by those who were unafraid of him, like that Kirche girl. He had already spoken and displayed his opinion on bullies during his fight with Guiche so it wasn't really his concern to constantly be defending Louise from every mock and insult thrown at her. He wouldn't stand for it if it got too far, but he also wasn't a twenty-four-hour babysitting service. Besides Louise seemed to be able to ignore them well enough during the day, probably due a combination of her pride and experience of dealing with such insults, so as long as nobody tried anything stupid there was no need to get involved in something trivial like this.

Still the constant phrase of "Zero" and mockery Ryoga witnessed being tossed was a solemn reminder of how Yuma was always mocked and bullied for his Kattobingu and poor Dueling skills. Unlike the pink-colored girl though Yuma had always been able to handle the mockery extremely well, as he had a bright personality and a strong faith in himself and his father's teachings, as well as his abilities as a Duelist despite him starting off so poorly as one. But Louise clearly showed that she and Yuma were not the same when it came to dealing with these issues, and instead she tried to fight back behind a mask of pride and anger. He supposed the two couldn't be completely similar after all, especially when comparing his first meeting with both.

Still Ryoga couldn't help but wonder just how long Louise had put up with this sort of abuse, or even just how much of it truly affected her. The broken state she was in when she got exposed for failing the contract clearly demonstrated that she was hurting a lot more than what she allowed people to see, and tried to conceal it away like it was nothing, much like he had done long ago. And he knew from that experience that such actions would only spell trouble for Louise if she wasn't careful. You could only build up so much tension and pain before it eventually ruptured.

Still there hadn't been a problem so far, probably _due_ to Louise's breakdown during the Duel, and so long as it didn't go beyond what she could handle then Ryoga didn't see a need to worry. He would still keep an eye out and make sure to silence anyone who tried to do something stupid, but until his "master" began to show signs of cracking and letting her pain get to her again, he wouldn't bring the subject up to her.

Plus he had a feeling doing so would just cause her to get angry with him again and result in her trying to blow him up.

Stupid trigger-happy chibis.

* * *

Lunch began soon after the class ended, with the students all gathering into the main dining hall and being treated to the sight of a large banquet. While the students dug into their meals happily their familiars were escorted out to the courtyard and directed to their own specific meals set out by the servants. A fact Ryoga was made all too aware of the first day thanks to Louise.

Due to his status as her "familiar" he was not allowed to eat any of the food made for the students or even stay in the dining hall, and instead had to go outside with the other familiars to eat his own lunch. It was ridiculous and stupid in Ryoga's mind. He understood the logic behind keeping a bunch of wild and magical creatures away from their food, but he was human as the rest of them dammit. He wasn't going to start slobbering everywhere or begging for food.

Surprisingly Louise offered to let him stay inside if he wanted. When asked why she said it would be a sort of reward, which he translated as _thanks_ , for his standing up for her against Guiche. Though if he did accept Ryoga would have to sit on the floor since the seats were solely reserved for the students.

Just more checks to add to the "Reasons to hate Nobles" list.

While slightly appreciative of her at least trying to make things easier for him, even if this could still be considered being treated as an animal rather than a person, Ryoga eventually decided it wasn't worth the trouble and choose to simply take his meals outside without question. It helped that he didn't want to be constantly surrounded and stared at by the other students while he was eating. He already got enough of that on a normal basis and didn't need it to be disrupting his meal.

At least the servants had the decency to give him something he could actually eat rather than some of the food he had seen them feed the other familiars. Though judging by the portions he received he got the feeling Louise had some hand in selecting the choices of meal, once more adding to the check list. Still food was food so Ryoga didn't bother complaining too much, especially knowing it wouldn't go anywhere.

So once more the oceanic Duelist sat outside against the walls of the school tower and ate his meal in peace, seemingly unfazed by the fact that he was surrounded by dozens of odd looking and bizarre creatures.

To be fair he _had_ seen much stranger and scarier things back in his world.

As Ryoga continued eating he looked around to the familiars nearby. While having already seen them many times before it was always interesting to watch their interactions with the servants and other familiars, especially since a lot of these creatures resembled Duel Monsters given their odd shapes and appearances. Sure there were some that were normal looking for the most part, but the majority could have easily be mistaken for many of the beast he had seen in previous Duels. Maybe it was due to the fact they resembled Duel Monsters that he felt more comfortable around them than he did their noble masters?

That and the fact that many of their masters were absolute idiots.

Either way it didn't matter much since most of the time the familiars just let Ryoga be and went off to do whatever they wanted, whether it was sleeping, playing, or just hanging around their fellow familiars. Whenever they did approach him it was usually out of curiosity or boredom, though there were a few that acted like spoiled puppies and constantly wanted to play with him. While even he could admit it was kind of cute, the former Barian swore some of these creatures had way too much energy in them to be normal.

There was something odd that Ryoga had noticed though. For some reason certain familiars seemed to take an especially strong interest in the purple-clad teen, and whenever he was outside like he was today they always choose to gather around and follow him wherever he went. Even now as Ryoga ate his lunch he recognized many faces that were just sitting around and silently watching him. There were even some smaller familiars sitting upon his lap and legs. What was even more interesting was that while he had yet to know of any species that existed in this world, the familiars surrounding him had either a mixture or relation to animals he recognized, ranging from turtles, to frogs, to fish-like creatures, to even some snakes and crocs. He even recognized one in particular as the frog familiar that belonged to Montmorency, though the frog's name he couldn't place at the moment.

What Ryoga did know, or could at least could assume anyways, was that all these familiars had some sort of connection to water. It actually surprised him when he first realized this, but he quickly figured that these familiars could somehow sense the connection he had to his WATER Attribute deck, and maybe even his connection to the ocean in general given his past life. While there was no way of proving this or understanding how it was possible, the former king didn't mind it too much and wasn't at all bothered by their or the other familiar's presence, instead actually finding a bit of comfort in it.

"Kyui?"

Ryoga paused mid bite as he felt a large shadow hover over him.

Correction. There was _one_ familiar he was bothered by.

The familiars on his lap quickly jumped off and scattered at the sight of the new presence allowing Ryoga to lower the plate of food. Brow twitching in irritation he slowly looked up from his meal and was greeted to a rather unfortunate sight, as towering above and watching him with emerald colored eyes was what appeared to be a small blue and white eastern looking dragon.

Well _small_ as in being about six to seven times the size of a normal person. The dragon looked about forty to fifty feet in length alone, with a pair of arms and legs almost half as long. It had a long tail that swayed lazily against the grass, a crown of horns jutting out from the back of its' head and neck, and of course, a pair of massive wings on its' back that despite all comprehension, allowed the creature the ability to fly.

Most people would be surprised or even terrified to be in the presence of such a large creature. To Ryoga however this dragon had nothing on Galaxy-Eyes. It actually made him curious to know if there were any dragons like the Numbers Hunting behemoth in this world.

The dragon did nothing as it stared down at Ryoga, who returned the gesture by staring straight back. A thick silence filled the air as the other familiars curiously watched to see what would happen. Neither of the two made any sort of movement, their staring contest seeming to grow more intense by the second. Almost like one of those old western showdowns seen in classic movies and such.

After several tense seconds however the Duelist sighed and held up his food.

"Here."

"Kyui!"

Ryoga cried out in surprise as the dragon suddenly pinned him down with its' arms and scoped the plate happily in it's jaws.

"Oy get off me! I'm not some fucking toy for you to jump on dammit!" The former Barian shouted as he struggled to push off the heavy limbs crushing his chest. The dragon didn't notice or listen as it ate the food happily, along with the plate. It quickly finished the meal and licked its' lips before leaning down to Ryoga and nuzzling its' nose against his face happily, much to his displeasure.

This had been a constant occurrence since the first day he met the giant flying lizard. It had approached him in a similar manner like the other familiars and had focused its' attention on some of the food he hadn't bothered to finish eating that day. Deciding it would be a waste to simply toss out the meal he decided to give the food to the dragon, hoping it would be satisfied with the action and leave him alone.

The opposite happened.

Since then the stupid familiar approached him every single day during lunch, always waiting for him to give up part of his meal and snuggling against him when he did. It was really annoying but he couldn't refuse it either. The last time he tried to do that not only had the damn thing refused to leave him alone for the rest of the day, but had somehow begged, yes _begged_ , with those stupid green eyes of its' by giving the equivalent of a dragon puppy dog pout.

How the hell could a lizard even do that!?

As Ryoga struggled against the nuzzling snout of the giant blue reptile a soft laughter interrupted the moment. Both familiars aimed their heads towards the noise, with the boy being surprised by the source.

"Katie?" Ryoga's eyes widened at seeing the first-year.

The young brunette stood just a short distance away, continuing to giggle at the sight in front of her. "I-I'm sorry for laughing, but it's just so cute seeing how well you get along with the other familiars."

Ryoga grunted and glared at the dragon. "Who's getting along with who now?" He pushed against the dragon's face with his hands, it giving a small whine at the action before reluctantly getting off him, clearly having enjoyed nuzzling against him for some reason. Katie simply giggled again as Ryoga got up and dusted himself off. "So uh… what are you doing out here? Lunch isn't over yet is it?"

Ryoga inwardly cursed. "Lunch isn't over yet is it?". Great way to talk to a person you weren't even sure you wanted to see again.

Katie stopped her laughter and looked down nervously. "W-Well no but...you see I...that is..."

Ryoga stared confused but remained patient and waited for her to speak. After a moment the young girl took a deep breath and thrust her arms out to Ryoga.

"H-Here!" Katie nearly shouted, much to the pain of the teen's ears, as he took notice of the small wooden basket in her hands. The same basket he remembered her carrying when he first encountered her. Noting the confusion written on his face, the first-year turned slightly red and explained. "T-This is for you. To thank you."

"Thank me?"

Katie nodded. "Y-Yes. For what happened with Si-…with Guiche."

That comment made the Duelist flinch as he immediately realized what this was about. The truth was he had hoped this conversation wouldn't happen, at least not so soon. It wasn't that he had forgotten Katie's involvement in the event with Guiche, but it was more along the lines that he wasn't sure what to say to her.

While it was Guiche's fault for cheating on the two women, it was because of Ryoga that the truth had been brought out so publicly and hurt Katie in a way that she didn't deserve. Since then he wasn't quite sure how to apologize to the first-year, or even how she would react to him if he saw her again. He had simply hoped that when he did confront her, enough time would have passed that he would have figured out what to say to her. Or at least hoped that she would have gotten over the event and wouldn't be mad at him for his part in it. Hell he would have been satisfied if she had simply forgotten about him and never seen or spoken to him again, so long as it meant she would be better for it.

He certainly didn't expect for the brunette to be thanking him though. In fact seeing such an action caused Ryoga to look away guiltily.

"You shouldn't be thanking me for something like that," he said quietly.

"Eh?" Katie looked confused. "What do you mean?"

"You know what I mean. All I did was hurt you and cause you trouble. I was the one who exposed that idiot's secret in front of the whole school and made it more painful and embarrassing for you. If anything you should be furious at me for what I did."

"You're wrong!" Katie exclaimed. "It wasn't your fault Mister Ryoga. You didn't hurt me, you helped me!"

Ryoga shook his head. "You say that but I still-"

"I would have found out one way or another," Katie looked down with a sad smile. "Guiche…wasn't exactly the most secretive of people after all," Ryoga held back a snort. "Even if you hadn't appeared Miss Montmorency and I would have probably figured it out eventually. And even if we had, because I'm a first-year the chances were that Guiche would have probably fully denied me and pretended that nothing ever happened between us."

Ryoga's fist clenched at the thought. He _really_ hated when people were used and treated like that.

"But because of your aid Mister Ryoga I was able to learn the truth much sooner and avoid such an event," Katie looked back up as her sadness faded into warmth. "Plus, watching you defeat Guiche in that duel helped me to get over the pain of what happened and move on from it. You did that for me, and so I wanted to do something for you to show my appreciation and thanks. That's why I made this present for you."

"But I…" Ryoga looked down at the basket with uncertainty.

What was he to say? He hadn't anticipated this sort of response. It probably would have been easier for him to accept this happening had Katie simply hated him, as he was more used to that sort of reaction from people. But that wasn't the case at all, and instead she was thanking him and trying to reward him despite him being undeserving of it.

"Please…" Katie's voice caused Ryoga to look up and see her smiling at him. "Please don't force yourself to feel guilty over this Mister Ryoga. You've already suffered enough as it is."

Ryoga's eyes widened at the words. Force himself? Suffer? Just what did she mean by that? He wasn't-

His thoughts halted.

Wait a second…

Had…had he been making himself feel this way on purpose?

It wasn't like he was intentionally trying to guilt himself to receive sympathy. He wasn't that kind of asshole. But this had happened before hadn't it? Back when he reclaimed his memories and become a Barian again.

He had become so consumed by the betrayal and pain he caused his friends that his guilt had eaten away at him. It had made his mind turn on himself and consumed him to such a degree that he was going to take his own life after he saved his world as punishment. This wasn't nearly on the same level as that disaster, but now that he thought it over Ryoga realized that his old scars were showing up once again, and that his feelings of regret and guilt had gotten the better of him. The whole thing should have been a simple apology and thanks between him and Katie, and yet he was making it into something far more complicated then it needed to be.

He felt so stupid! Even Yuma would have seen how much of an idiot he was being, and that was saying something!

" _And yet..."_ Ryoga looked at Katie's bright expression. _"She somehow saw it."_

This girl who he had barley meet for a full day had somehow seen what he couldn't. She had felt his own guilt and self-hate when he himself had been completely blind to it. Maybe during the time after the Duel she had dealt with similar feelings of her own, or maybe she just had that sort of talent. Either way he couldn't believe how this girl who was barley in her teens had spotted something like this so easily and opened his eyes to the truth.

And now that they had been opened, he felt…strange.

Not in a bad way. But he knew he had felt this feeling before, back when he had lost to Yuma and Astral in their final Duel.

It was as if a great weight had suddenly been removed from his shoulders. One that had been consuming and trying to weigh him down even when he arrived in this world. Was it because this girl had just accepted his actions so easily? That what should have caused anger or resentment towards him didn't exist, and was instead replaced with thanks and care?

" _Is this what Siesta meant before?"_ Ryoga wondered as he recalled the raven-haired maid's own reaction to his abilities. She accepted him without question and said she was happy to know him, yet he held doubts and fears over if it was true or not just like he held guilt and concern over the pain he caused Katie. All because of the sins that continued to haunt him without his realizing.

And yet now he no longer felt that way. Just like when he had lost to Yuma, the kind and innocent words Katie had spoken had just…removed the pain from his mind. They would always still be there, as the nightmares would never fade away nor be forgotten, but for now it was as if he was no longer held down by them. For now, he was no longer being haunted or pained by his past.

Instead he felt relief fill him once more.

He felt...free.

" _And all because of a single innocent girl,"_ Ryoga chuckled and smiled at Katie, who turned slightly red at his gaze and looked away to try and hide it. "Alright."

"Huh?" Katie's head shot up.

"I don't know if I deserve it or not, but I understand your feelings and will accept them fully," Ryoga said gently taking the basket from Katie's hands, causing the first-year to blush harder from the contact. "Just promise me you'll quit with the whole 'Mister Ryoga' thing alright? I hate titles, so just call me Shark if you want."

Katie looked surprise before her mouth split into a bright smile and she nodded. "O-Of course! You're very welcome, and thank you Sir Shark!"

Ryoga rolled his eyes but kept smiling. He had a feeling it'd be a work in progress with this one, but at least the issue between them was settled now. And who knows, maybe this could be the start to an actual friendship with a noble of this world.

Louise not included for obvious reasons.

"I-I really hope you like it Sir Shark. I made it myself," Katie said as she looked down and twiddled her fingers nervously, the red adorning her cheeks once again.

Ryoga didn't seem to notice and just nodded as he opened the basket to check its' contents. After all if this was to be the start of a friendship with this girl he should have the decency to see what she had made for him, even if it wasn't necessary in his mind.

Yet what lay within the wooden container made the former king go slack-jawed.

Inside the small basket was a full decor of bakery sweets and desserts, ranging from cookies to cupcakes to miniature cakes to stuff he had never even seen before but looked just as delicious. The aroma coming from the luscious treats was enough to make anybody's mouths water with desire. While Ryoga had never been much of a sweets person himself, this sheer number of sugary gifts left even the normally calm Duelist to a stare off in complete awe.

"T-This is…" Ryoga couldn't find words to say.

"W-Well I'll talk to you later! I hope you enjoy them!" Katie blurted as she suddenly turned and ran off to hide her rapidly burning face.

"Huh?" Ryoga looked up at the sudden retreat, catching sight of Katie giving him one last bright smile and a wave of hand. While a bit confused and stunned by what just happened, the Duelist couldn't help but smile and wave back.

Looks like things were heading in the right direction after all.

Ryoga then felt something nudge against his shoulder, his expression instantly dropping to annoyance.

"No."

"Kyuiiiiiiii!"

* * *

Later that night Ryoga sat calmly in the corner of Louise's room as the pinkette dressed herself for bed, much to her distaste. Despite the agreement to be her "familiar" Ryoga quickly displayed the fact that he was _not_ going to be the young mage's servant. He would stay beside her during the day, attend her classes, and even grab stuff she needed if necessary. But he drew the line at doing her laundry or dressing the girl up, or just anything involving her clothing.

This had caused yet another argument between the two but eventually the stubbornness of a Duelist proved to be superior to that of a mage's, and since then the pinkette had been forced to dress herself every day, though Ryoga was still embarrassed and annoyed at how Louise could just undress in his presence so casually and not be ashamed that he was in the same room as her.

What kind of person does that!?

There was also the issue of him sleeping on a pile of hay for a "bed". Apparently it was to be the bed for the familiar Louise thought she might get, but seeing as she got him instead and how he was playing the role of her familiar, he was stuck with the hay pile for now until she decided to get him something better. Least she had the decency to get him a blanket and pillow, and it wasn't like he hadn't slept on worse.

Pushing aside the reminiscing Ryoga looked to the basket next to him and rubbed his stomach happily. He had to admit that Katie was very good at making desserts. He hadn't eaten them all for fear of a stomachache later, but he would definitely be finishing off every single delicious treat in that basket soon enough. He chuckled a little at remembering how Louise reacted to seeing him with such a present and interrogating him on where he got it from. It was even better watching the shock and annoyance on her face when he refused to share any of the treats with her.

"What's so funny?" Louise asked as she turned around fully dressed.

"Nothing, just a little joke I remembered," the Duelist lied with a shake of his head.

Louise stared for a moment before sighing. "Whatever. Just go to bed, and make sure you get up early tomorrow alright?"

"What for?"

Seeing the confusion on Ryoga's face Louise crossed her arms and decided to explain. "Tomorrow is Void Day, a holy day of rest for the entire kingdom. Classes are canceled for the whole day and the students are allowed to leave the campus so long as we don't go anywhere too far and return before sunset. As such, I've decided that you and I are going to head to the city tomorrow and get you a weapon."

"A weapon?" Ryoga said surprised, his attention now fully caught.

"That's right. While your…'Duel Disk' and summonings are…certainly strong," Louise admitted with a bit of jealousy. "They stand out too much for any regular mage, let alone a commoner. And while everyone here thinks you're some sort of noble it'd be best to keep any attention on you, and in turn me, from growing more than necessary. Therefore getting you a more suitable weapon will help you to better blend into the role as my familiar, as well as give you something else to defend yourself with since you already seem well adept in that field."

Ryoga was quite impressed, and a bit shocked. He didn't expect this level of thought to come from the normally hotheaded chibi, but despite his surprise he found himself agreeing with her reasoning.

While he could easily defend himself now thanks to his deck and Chaos powers, the fact remained that he didn't need to draw more attention to himself than he already had. At the moment outside of Louise, Colbert, Osmond, and Siesta, everybody else assumed he was a noble of some kind that could use water magic and had Big Jaws as his familiar. Though lately he had been hearing something about a "fallen" bit being added onto his role, whatever the hell that was supposed to mean.

While still a pain in the ass he acknowledged that if word spread over what else he could do then it would bring far more trouble and consequences than he was willing to handle at the moment. Plus if the Duel with Guiche showed Ryoga anything, it was best to be prepared and have a backup should anything happen to his cards or powers.

"Alright, sounds like a plan. But if it comes to a choice I'd prefer a sword. I have more experience with one than any spear," Ryoga suggested as he laid down onto his hay pile.

"A sword huh? That makes things easier then since the shop I planned for us is specialized in swords," Louise said while burying herself beneath her own blankets. "In any case we'll worry about it tomorrow. So get some sleep and be sure to wake up early, got it?"

"Right, right. Goodnight Louise."

"Mhm."

With that the pinkette instantly fell asleep, something Ryoga had taken notice of her over the past few days. Smiling a bit at the sight the Duelist shut his eyes and relaxed his body as he allowed himself to drift away into his dreams.

* * *

Not even an hour seemed to have passed by before a strange noise awoke Ryoga from his slumber. Sitting up and looking around he quickly located the source to be a light scratching sound emitting from outside the door to the hallway. Looking over to Louise he noticed she was still asleep despite the noise, and decided it would be better to not disturb her and simply see what it was himself.

Ryoga quietly stood up from his "bed" and walked over to the door, opening it slightly to take a look outside. What surprised him though was that it wasn't a person that was making the noise, but a red human-sized lizard with a live fire burning on its' tail.

"Huh? Aren't you Kirche's familiar?" Ryoga questioned confused. The familiar, Flame, simply looked up at him before nudging at the door with his head. Despite the confusion Ryoga realized it wanted to be let in for some reason and decided to open the door more to see what it wanted.

Or at least that was what was supposed to happen. Not the lizard suddenly biting onto the edge of his sleeve and dragging him out of the room.

"What the!? Oy! Let go!" Ryoga yelled at the giant flaming reptile as he struggled to pull away. But clearly Flame was a lot stronger than he looked and had a tight grasp on the Duelist's sleeve. As such the purple-clad teen found himself unable to break free and was forcibly dragged down the hallway despite his protest.

* * *

After a short while of being dragged through several halls and corridors, all the while constantly cursing the whole time, Ryoga found himself forcibly shoved into a dark room that was lit only by several different candles and the moonlight coming from the nearby windows. Flame then tossed him to the ground and turned away.

"What the hell was that for!?" Ryoga yelled at the reptile angrily. It seemed to just ignore him as it closed the door with its' head.

"Welcome," a sultry voice spoke from the shadows catching Ryoga's attention. He turned towards the location of the voice in confusion, only to be completely caught off guard by the sight before him.

It was Flame's master Kirche, standing in the middle of what looked to be her room and dressed in what appeared to a very loose and very revealing purple nightgown and set of undergarments.

Needless to say Ryoga's brain nearly shut down at the sight as his cheeks flooded red with color.

"K-Kirche!?" Ryoga sat up in shock and embarrassment. What the hell was she wearing!? What the hell was going on!?

"Welcome to my sweet room Ryoga. Or do you prefer Shark?" Kirche asked seductively as she posed before the boy, making sure to display her "assets" to him.

Ryoga blushed harder and turned his gaze away. What the fuck kind of circumstance was this? "Don't play games dammit! What the hell is all this? Why am I here?"

The redhead giggled. "Well that's easy. It's because I wanted to see you."

"To see me?" Ryoga repeated.

"Yes. I know it seems dirty of me, and you must think me a horrible woman. But my runic name is The Ardent, and like a torch I'm easy to turn on," Kirche said with a succubus like smile.

Ryoga nearly fell over in shock at the words. "J-Just what the heck are you saying?"

Not seeing the reaction she wanted Kirche pouted slightly, but then smiled and leaned closer to the boy. "Don't you get it yet? I'm in love. I'm in love with _you_ , Ryoga."

That comment _did_ cause him to fall over in shock.

"What!?"

"Love always starts unannounced I know, but I can't help it!" Kirche announced. "The way you looked when you defeated Guiche, the strength you displayed during the entire duel. Even as a fire mage it felt as if I was being boiled alive by your watery passion. It was so amazing. So fantastic. So _hot_ ," the Germanian suddenly leaned over Ryoga as he tried to back away. "Seeing you then turned Kirche the Ardent into Kirche the Passion. It made me want to feel more of your heat, your fire, your passion! So please..."

With those words Kirche leaned close to try and kiss Ryoga. Seeing this however finally snapped the Duelist to his senses as his eyes narrowed dangerously.

"Don't screw with me!" Ryoga shouted as he gripped Kirche's shoulders and pushed her away, startling the redhead.

"Ryoga?"

"Who the hell do you think you are huh? You think you can just use people's emotions with such shallow words?" Ryoga growled as he glared at the woman.

"Huh?" Kirche looked stunned. She hadn't expected this sort of reaction. Quickly putting her charm back on she looked at him with moist watery eyes. "N-No, of course not darling! I just wanted to share my affection and passion with you. To show you how much my burning heart has come to love you! Do you think me so cruel as to misunderstand how I feel? Do you think my love is misplaced?"

"Misplaced? I'm thinking it was never even there to begin with," the water user said with a harsh tone.

Kirche gasped. "How can you say that? It is there, burning inside my very breast! It was there on that day you defeated Guiche. I fell in love with you the moment you won that fierce battle. Don't you believe me?"

Ryoga scoffed. "Love? That's such bullshit. Claiming you love someone just from seeing them win some stupid Duel. What do you think this is some stupid fairy tail? Love doesn't work in such a ridiculous way."

"But it does for me! My passion for you is burning even now as we speak! Allow me to show you my love if you just-"

"You don't know the first thing about love!"

The amount of anger from Ryoga's voice actually stung Kirche, as her thoughts were halted and she looked at the Duelist in shock. "W-What?"

Ryoga's eyes seemed to become cold as ice. "You must have thought me naive huh, well tough shit princess, I'm not that gullible. I've heard the stories about you. About how you flirt with almost any guy you see. How like Guiche you string their hearts along, using your words and body to seduce them to your hearts content. How they constantly brag about dating you and how you've even invited some of them to your room in the den of night for 'fun'."

Kirche was caught off guard. How could he have heard about that?

"W-What do you mean my love? I've neve-"

"Louise told me all about it," Kirche's eyes widened as Ryoga continued. "When I realized how much attention I had drawn to myself, I asked her if there was anyone I should look out for like Guiche. She took a _lot_ of extra time to talk about you. The rivalry between your families, how you've treated her, and how you flirt and use your charm on guys to get what you want. She even warned me that you might try something like this on me because of the Duel, though I didn't actually believe any of that nonsense till now."

Kirche was flabbergasted. She knew her reputation amongst the school was a bit of a balancing point, with both praises and hatred being thrown at her for her actions, but she didn't think Ryoga would find out about it so soon, let alone that it would entice such a hostile response from him. She had simply thought he'd fall for her charm like all the others, but clearly that wasn't the case. Then again based on how he responded to Guiche's actions, as well as his less then positive thoughts on the noble class, maybe she should have been more cautious in preparing for this night.

"T-Those are just stories my love. Nothing more," Kirche tried again as she gently placed her hand over Ryoga's, hoping to still somehow save this event as she gave her best look of sorrow and pleading. "I swear my heart only burns for you and you alone! I would never-"

"Kirche!"

A sudden new voice caught the duo's attention, making both turn to see a guy standing, rather floating since this was the third floor of the tower they were in, at the window with an angry expression on his face.

"S-Styx! What are you doing here?" Kirche questioned startled. Why was he here now of all times!?

"You didn't show up for the scheduled meeting so I came here to check on you," the other male answered. "But why is the familiar of Zero in your room?"

Ryoga growled at the nickname while Kirche paled. She couldn't believe she had forgotten about the scheduling plan she set up for tonight, and now such a mistake was coming back to bite her in the ass. And not the good kind of biting either. Trying to save face she simply waved her hand off to the flying mage. "I-I don't know what you mean. We never scheduled anything."

"That's not what you said earlier!"

Feeling a bit of annoyance now Kirche reached between her breast and pulled out her wand. Flicking it towards the male intruder one of the candle flames suddenly transformed into a small serpent of fire and collided with the noble's head, causing him to cry out and fall away from the window. Kirche sighed in relief at the disappearance.

"So…" the cold voice of her other guest spoke causing the Germanian to flinch. "Who was _that_ , huh?"

Remembering the situation Kirche turned back to Ryoga and smiled nervously. "N-Nobody my love. Just a friend is all. A very _annoying_ friend," she mumbled quietly before putting on her seductive persona. "Now please, let me show you how wrong you are by-"

"Kirche!" The two turned again as yet another boy, this time a blonde, floated at the window like the previous one. "What are you doing Kirche? I thought you and I were going to have a hot ni-"

Another flaming serpent interrupted the lad and sent him to the same fate as the previous.

"Another 'friend'?" Ryoga asked sarcastically.

"H-He and I just share the same class together!" Kirche stuttered, her tone betraying her words. This was very bad. She couldn't afford for anything else to-

"KIRCHE!"

Ryoga was actually impressed. This time there were three boys.

Though the term "idiots" would have probably fit better.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH THIS PUNK!? YOU SAID YOU DIDN'T HAVE ANY PARTICULAR LOVER!" They all shouted in unison while fighting to get through the window.

"M-Manica, Ajax, Gimly!" Kirche paled at the sight of the trio, her mind racing rapidly. "Ah, y-you guys just, uhhh-"

"WELL!?"

Kirche had enough. "Flame!"

The salamander sat up and unleashed a stream of fire from its' mouth at the trio, sending all three fools plummeting to meet their fallen brethren. Kirche sighed heavily as they disappeared, not knowing how much more she could take, only to realize the warmth that had been under her palm had suddenly vanished. The sound of a door opening swiftly caught her attention as she turned to see Ryoga about to walk out of the room.

"Wait!" Kirche called out as she raced towards him and grabbed his wrist. He didn't pull away and simply stood there with his back turned. "I promise, this is all a misunderstanding! Don't leave my love. Just come back inside and we can-"

"Shut up."

The coldness of his voice froze the redhead as Ryoga turned to look at her. The sight caused Kirche to flinch back in shock. The ocean blue eye that looked at her…they were no longer filled with anger or annoyance, but something worse.

Disgust.

Pure and absolute disgust at the woman before him. Kirche was stunned silent by the look, as she had never seen such eyes directed at her before from any male.

Using her silence as an opportunity Ryoga snapped his wrist away and turned to face the redhead fully. "You're just like him. You put on a nice smile and a pretty face and get everyone to fall for your act. But deep down you could care less for any of them, and only care for yourself. You use them all for your own means and would hurt every single one of them without any hesitation so long as you got what you wanted. You say you're in love? That's bullshit because you know _nothing_ of real love, and _nothing_ of what it means to be in love!" Kirche's eyes widened further. Ryoga just shook his head and turned his back to her once more. "And I doubt you ever will."

"R-Ryoga?" Kirche stuttered, watching as the boy walked away.

"Have a pleasant night Kirche."

"W-Wa-"

 **SLAM!**

The door to the room slammed shut on Kirche's face as Ryoga stood in the hallway once more. He took a moment to calm himself and gather his thoughts before he ended up doing something incredibly stupid, though he was very tempted to do so anyways. To think he was in such a good mood earlier because of Katie, and now he was all pissed off and annoyed because of that…he didn't have a word befitting her.

Not when it would so easily remind Ryoga of _him_.

After settling himself down Ryoga turned to walk back to Louise's room, only to stop in surprise upon seeing the very person standing in the hallway. "Louise?"

The pink-eyed girl stood there silently, a look of surprise on her face. She looked towards Kirche's door and stared for a moment before turning back to Ryoga, as if trying to contemplate something. "You…"

"I didn't do anything if that's what you're wondering," Ryoga stated firmly, though his tone still held some anger to it. "Yes I was dragged here against my will, but I did nothing with her nor do I ever intend to. So don't go and start accusing me of something I didn't do, got it?"

Louise's eyes looked over Ryoga's face trying to find any form of deception on it, but the truth was she already knew he wasn't lying. She had been awoken to the sounds of his leaving the room, as well as his cursing down the halls, and was confused as to where he had gone and disappeared too. It was only after a moment that she realized what must have happened and quickly made her way to Kirche's room, fully intending on stopping her rival's plan before her "familiar" was lost to her.

However that didn't happen. Just as Louise arrived at the door and was about ready to kick it in, she heard the voices of Ryoga and Kirche speaking inside and decided to listen in on what they were saying. And what she heard was something she would never have thought possible.

Kirche was rejected.

Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt-Zerbst was _rejected_!

At first she almost didn't believe it and thought she was dreaming. But as she continued to listen Louise quickly realized she was in fact wide-awake and bearing witness to this event.

When she had told Ryoga of the rivalry between her and Zerbst's family, as well as how she would never allow something of hers to be taken by the big-breasted cow, the Duelist had acted like he was brushing off her words as usual. It angered her because she thought he wasn't taking what she said seriously and would just ignore her warning about the Germanian. Because of this she had made sure to keep an eye out for when her rival decided to make a move on her "familiar" since she knew it was bound to happen sooner or later.

And it looked like that time was tonight. A list of emotions ran through Louise's mind when she processed what was happening, the top of which being anger from when she got out of bed and stormed her way to Kirche's room, fully intending on saving Ryoga's sorry behind just so she could bring him back to her room and punish him immediately afterwards, since she fully expected to find him completely taken in by Kirche's methods and seduction techniques.

Yet none of that happened. Instead Ryoga had done the exact opposite and fully rejected Kirche's advances and words, even giving the redhead a strong piece of mind.

It was then that the full implication hit Louise and her shock turned into absolute joy. Never before had anyone managed to resist Kirche's charm and nature. The Germanian had always been able to get whatever and whomever she wanted thanks to her body and seduction skills, especially when she went all out. And it didn't help that she flaunted such an advantage over Louise every time she could, all while mocking the pink-haired nobles own smaller and lesser-developed body.

And yet this time she had failed.

Kirche had failed and been rejected by the very person Louise had summoned.

Her worst fear that Kirche would steal Ryoga away from her was now completely erased from Louise's heart, as for the first time she could ever remember, the redhead had lost to _her_ instead. And now she had the privilege of holding such information over her rival for future use, to which Louise couldn't be excited enough about as she had never been given such an opportunity before. She was going to make sure she used such a treasure to its' absolute best.

And while Ryoga was still a rude and stubborn jerk of a false familiar, Louise couldn't help but feel her heart swell with pride and relief at his actions, as well as something else she couldn't recognize. But it all showed on her face in the form of a small yet bright smile.

Louise quickly turned away from Ryoga to hide her expression and put on her best voice of authority. "Good. It seems you aren't as hopeless as I thought you were. Just as long as you remember that Zerbst is completely forbidden you can go about flirting with whatever girl you want."

Ryoga looked surprised at first, having expected a much bigger and angrier reaction, but then blinked in confusion. "Wait what? Flirting?"

Louise simply shook her head. "Come on. Let's go before Zerbst gets any more ideas. We have a busy day tomorrow after all."

Ryoga rolled his eyes and nodded. "Yeah yeah sure."

And with that the two walked down the halls back towards their shared room. The whole time in which Louise's smile never left her face.

* * *

 **HI GUYS I'M BACK! Did you miss me?**

 **...I hope so.**

 **In any case, great news for this month. My amount of work and scheduling is quite relaxing this month, meaning I will have more free time to work on my story, which is awesome seeing the point I'm at in my future chapters! Hopefully it also means I can crank out more chapters, so we'll see about that!**

 **Now you noticed my intro was a bit different this time. And the reason was that well...I was looking up the light novels for Zero no Tsukaima, you know in order to get an idea of how it differs from anime and what I can use, when I found that not only are the novels not accessible online, which totally sucks, but that they also haven't been updated or completed, and that the story has been canceled.**

 **The reason being...that Noboru Yamaguchi died over two years ago.**

 **I felt my heart break hearing that. I had heard the series had been stopped a while back but I thought it was temporary. I didn't know that Noboru-san was...*looks down guiltily***

 **It saddened me to know that a man who wrote such a great series and world was unable to finish it. Just like Monty Oum with the RWBY storyline...why must such great writers pass away before they can fully tell their story? :'(**

 **That's why...why I'm now more determined than ever to finish this story to the end! I don't care how long it takes! But this world, these characters, their story should be told! I hate when a story is forgotten and never finished because I feel like it's a dishonor both to the writers, the fans, and the characters and worlds! I won't let that happen, and will complete this story in honor of Noboru-san and Monty-san!**

 **Now onto the reviews...well...the two of them anyways.**

 **Honestly I was a bit surprised by the little amount of reaction from the last chapter. I mean don't get me wrong I don't expect to get the same number of reviews or likes about each new chapter I post every single time, but I was actually worried all week because I thought that somehow a lot of you guys didn't like the previous chapter, or that nobody realized it was updated. And well, combined with hearing of Noboru-san...it made my week really sad despite the amount of fun and good things with it. V.V**

 **I really hope I didn't upset or disappoint a lot of you guys with my previous chapter, and that you guys will hopefully like this one. If you guys do want to still leave a review comment for the previous chapter feel free to do so. I just want to know you guys are enjoying this story is all and having fun with it. Also if anyone isn't sure when to check on how often I update, you can always put my story on a follows list to keep updated (though most of you probably know this). I'll be sure to comment on those reviews in next chapter.**

 **Anyways for the two reviews.**

 **Touhou is Life: Happy to please you with the Terminator reference, haha. And thank you for the support, I'm glad I'm not missing anything so far either, and hopefully it'll stay that way.**

 **Sekishiki: Glad you liked the small bits of slice of life, and hopefully you like them here as well :D. After an epic battle with the Guiche chapter, this will settle down for a bit until the next big event, which if you know how the anime story line goes, you'll have a good idea what that is. Also glad you liked the opening. I've also debated creating an ending as well, but I want to hear your guy's opinions on that. Also as the story goes on and hits certain points, I might create other openings and endings using both series, though we'll see on that.**

 **Anyways hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and I pray you did for the previous one also. I'll see you guys around soon hopefully.**

 **And now, a moment of silence for Noboru-san and Monty-san**

 ***does a small prayer of silence***

 **May they rest in peace and guide me through this. And may you all help to guide me as well my friends.**

 **Take care, and be of good health and love.**

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	14. Getting a New Blade

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works (Cept maybe Konami itself for reasons later).

* * *

It was a common concept that everybody had their own personal likes and dislikes about certain things. For example, one person could say they enjoy going out and feeling the warm sun on their skin, while another could say they prefer staying indoors and relaxing to the sound of rain and thunder outside. Somebody could say they relish the taste of spicy food, while others crave sweets. Some say swords, others say axes, or spears, or whatever. It didn't matter what the subject was, everybody had their own appreciations and taste that they preferred.

The girl known as Tabitha was one of those who had very simple taste. She liked simple meals, enjoyed reading books, and preferred spending her time in peace and quiet so as to not be distracted or disturbed by others. Hence why Void Day was one of her more enjoyable days of the year. A day where she could just stay in her room and read to her hearts content without any worries or problems.

At least that's what she was _supposed_ to get. But instead the peace she craved seemed to be severely lacking right now, as the quiet girl looked up from her latest reading to the shouting form of Kirche, the redhead's voice being absent despite her motions.

During her reading strong knocks began rattling Tabitha's door. Not wanting to be disturbed she quickly cast a Spell of Tranquility, a silencing wind-based spell, to efficiently block all noise around her and simply ignore whoever it was. Unfortunately, Kirche was unusually stubborn today, and having no concern for privacy as usual decided to break the lock on the door before baring straight in. The seductress of men then started talking, rather ranting based on what Tabitha could observe, for the past ten minutes and had yet to cease in her actions. Probably because she hadn't noticed that the bluenette couldn't hear anything being said. And while it would have been simpler to just keep the spell up and ignore whatever antics Kirche was about to drag her into, Tabitha knew it would be unsavory and rude to simply ignore the redhead like this.

Plus Kirche was technically her friend, as weird as the idea of them being friends may have seemed, so with great reluctance Tabitha calmly waved her staff and canceled the spell.

"-and then he said I know nothing of real love! Can you believe that!? Nothing of real love!? Nobody has ever said such a thing to me or rejected me before like this! _Ever_!"

The slightest twitch of a hand showed Tabitha's partial regret in her decision-making.

Despite her less then pleased thoughts of the shouting the bespectacled girl listened to the rant of her friend and was a bit surprised by what she heard, even if she didn't openly show it. Someone actually rejected Kirche's advances? Even she would admit she never thought the day would come where the busty female would actually lose in her attempts at seduction. There had always been the false hope of it miraculously happening, but seeing as every male student preferred to think with their hormones rather than their minds Tabitha didn't put much faith in that possibility. However it looks like someone managed to finally do it, though sadly it didn't seem to do much to tame the Germanian's attitude.

Quite the opposite actually as Kirche's eyes held a familiar and fiery look in them.

"But that rejection, those cold eyes, that harshness! It just made my heart blaze and flutter even more so than before! That's why we're leaving! So get dressed and get ready!" Kirche all but demanded with a happy smile. Tabitha however didn't move and continued reading.

"Void Day," the bespectacled girl responded softly.

Kirche pouted. "I know how important Void Day is to you, but this is just as important Tabitha! I'm in love! Absolutely in love, even more so than I already was! But he's now gone off with that blasted Valliere and I have no idea where they went. That's why I need your help to figure out where they're headed!"'

Tabitha's eyes briefly widened before returning to their normal state. So it was the familiar of Louise that she spoke of? Interesting. Tabitha figured her friend would make a move on him sooner or later, but apparently the result did not go as expected. In truth the mysterious boy was probably the only one who could have actually resisted Kirche, at least based on Tabitha's observations of him during his duel with Guiche. Though that didn't still explain why Kirche needed to involve her in this matter.

"So please won't you help me? You understand don't you?" Kirche begged her friend.

Tabitha merely shook her head and kept fixed to her book. It was a wonder how these two polarized people were friends.

Kirche sighed and nodded. "Right. I forget you won't act unless I explain everything to you. Geeze…alright then," she took a deep breath to calm herself. A second later she let it all out with a fierce and determined voice, as well as kneeling down in a begging position with fake tears. "I want to chase after them and find out what they're doing so I can steal Ryoga's heart away! But I can't catch them without your familiar's help! So please, please help me!"

Tabitha stopped her reading, now having a clear understanding. After a brief mental debate, she closed the book and nodded.

"You understand? Ah thank you Tabitha!" Kirche cheered as she hugged her friend's head against her impressive chest, the smaller girl doing nothing to stop her.

Truthfully Tabitha didn't understand her friend's lustful obsession with the familiar of Louise or the desire to seduce him. In the end though it didn't really bother her. Kirche was her only friend, and if she ever needed help, even if it was for whatever ridiculous motive or lust induced dream the succubus may have, then Tabitha would help her.

Besides, she needed to speak to the boy as well and this would be a good opportunity to do so.

With the idea settled Tabitha removed herself from Kirche's grip as she got off her bed and walked over to her room windows. Opening them up fully she took in the sight of the school and landscape briefly before bringing her fingers to her lips and releasing a loud and sharp whistle to the open air. A moment later a loud screeching cry was heard as a large figure flew from the sky towards the girls. A figure that was well known to every individual in the school, especially to one particular purple-clad teen.

It was Tabitha's familiar. The wind dragon, Sylphid.

* * *

"How much farther?" Ryoga asked Louise as he walked behind her.

"Quit complaining. We'll be there soon so just stay close and try not to get lost," the noble instructed.

"Says the one who doesn't know where she's going," Ryoga mumbled.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Ryoga sighed, already feeling frustrated and tried of the whole situation.

After being forced to get up early by his "master" the two borrowed a horse from the academy stable and rode for three full hours to the nearest city, which according to Louise was Tristania, the capital city of the whole kingdom. While he had experience with riding horses from his first life, his current body wasn't used to remembering how painful it was, leaving the boy with a sore backside and rump. It also didn't help that even after arriving the two began wandering the town for nearly an hour and had yet to reach their destination, making him question if Louise even knew where they were going.

Shrugging off the annoyance Ryoga continued to take in the sights around him. This was after all his first time visiting any of the cities of this new world, let alone one of the capital ones, and he had to admit that the place reminded him a lot of his old kingdom. The buildings were just like those he had seen every time he traveled through his city's streets, built with an old medieval structure to them and none reaching more than two stories in height. The streets were packed with people who went about their daily business doing whatever jobs or task they had planned, while the sides of the road were loaded with vendors of all kinds. There were even see children playing around and having fun, which brought a smile to the former king's face.

What's more it seemed as if the ciry was mostly occupied with commoners based on how they all dressed and acted, which to Ryoga was a breath of fresh air compared to how the academy was full of noble brats. He supposed it made sense since the nobles were much wealthier and respected in this world. They probably lived in some fancy houses or mansions rather than in the middle of a town like this. Despite the lack of magic though everyone seemed happy and content, and the city itself was much nicer than what he had originally expected. Overall it brought a calm and nostalgic feeling to the Duelist that he hadn't felt in such a long time.

Though he would have probably liked it a lot more if they could just find the damn shop already!

"Ah there it is!" Louise happily cried as she pointed to a building right across from them, a bronze sword-shaped sign dangling above it.

Timing, thy name was convenient.

The duo entered the shop and were immediately hit by the scent of ash and coal. Inside was relatively dim despite the sun lighting from the windows, and the place was filled with different kinds of weapons on display, whether hanging from the ceiling, in glass cases, or even stockpiled in barrels. While decent looking enough Ryoga wondered what Louise was expecting from this place or if she even knew what to look for. Heck, he was surprised she chose a place like this rather than something more fancy looking, but decided it was too much of a pain to ask about.

Standing behind the counter of the shop was a man with a rat-shaped face, who eyed the two with slight interest. That is up until he caught sight of the pentagram symbol on Louise's outfit, immediately recognizing her as a noble and straightening himself up. "Ah welcome young lady and fine sir to 'Sword'. Finest weapon shop on the side of town," Ryoga gave a quiet snort. "How may I help you today? I assure you all my wares are real and reasonably priced."

"I want to see one of your finest swords you have on sale," Louise ordered as she approached the counter. "Something simple but capable of defending oneself."

"Oh? A noble buying a sword? Quite a rarity these days," the man said with peek interest.

"It's not for me but for my familiar here," Louise motioned to Ryoga, who was occupied looking at the various displays. "He's in need of a weapon to use for my services, so be sure you give him something of working order, got it?"

"A human familiar eh? Well now I've seen everything. Just a moment then."

The shopkeeper turned and made his way to the back room, jubilantly wondering how much he could rip off the noble, and leaving the two teens alone. The moment he disappeared Ryoga turned and shot a narrowed look at Louise.

"Hey, why don't you try being a little nicer and less stingy when talking to someone alright?"

Louise huffed and crossed her arms. "Don't misunderstand my intentions. I brought us here to get you a weapon to protect yourself with and nothing more. I'm not here to play nice or waste time got it?"

Ryoga frowned but before he could respond the owner came back with what appeared to be a standard looking longsword and sheath. "There you go. This here is one of our best-selling pieces to date."

"Is that right?" Louise inquired while Ryoga walked over. He grasped the weapon and drew the blade from its' sheath, testing the feeling and weight in his hands as he swung it around a few times.

"Indeed. Been selling like hotcakes to a lot of the knights around the castle lately. Heck they've even been allowing the servants to carry weapons on them. Something about a troublesome thief wandering around or something like that," the shop owner said with a shrug.

Louise looked surprised by the information. She had heard that some thief had been wandering around and using magic to steal treasures from the nobility, but she didn't think it was so serious that the castle itself was getting defensive. It actually made her a bit worried about her own family being targeted, as well as how the news would be affecting a particular member of royalty.

Ryoga took notice of Louse's sudden shift in attitude, and while a bit curious about her reaction decided to stay silent about it. He could probably take a guess as to the reason behind her worry, but thief or no it didn't affect either of them at the moment so there was no reason to be concerned. And even if it were something more serious he wouldn't push the issue unless he felt it necessary.

Finishing a final swing Ryoga looked over the weapon once more with careful consideration.

"Well? How is it?" Louise asked. While she wanted this done quickly she would at least trust him with picking a proper weapon since he had shown the skill and ability to wield one.

"It's not bad, but a bit light for me," the water user observed as he placed the weapon back on the counter. "I need something heavier and with stronger material."

Louise nodded and turned to the owner. "You heard him. Get him something bigger and broader."

The owner looked uncertain. "Ma'am I'm sorry but judging from his size that sword would fit a person like him better tha-"

"I said I want bigger and broader!" Louise declared sternly, making Ryoga roll his eyes at her impatience.

Reluctantly the shopkeeper nodded and went to the back again, mumbling as he did. As the two teens waited Ryoga decided to keep looking around the shop for anything else that might catch his interest. Most of the weapons appeared pretty plain and simple, but like Louise he wasn't looking for anything fancy or special. Just something to help get the job done if need be.

 **BA-BUMP!**

Ryoga's inspection paused when his sight caught hold of a weapon barrel in the corner. Confusion ran through him as he looked down to the Barian Pendant, swearing he felt a strange echoing pulse through it when he saw the barrel.

 _"What the-"_

"Sorry to keep you waiting," the voice of the shopkeeper broke Ryoga's thoughts. He turned back around to see the man grinning as he walked back to the counter with a new weapon in hand. "Here, this should be more to your liking little Miss."

The man revealed the piece he had brought out, the sight of which made Louise gawk in awe and caused Ryoga…to stare with a deadpanned expression.

"What the hell is this?"

The sword was certainly larger and broader by at least three times the size of the previous one. And it definitely looked heavier and more detailed as well, even embedded with a couple of ruby gems in the handle. However there was one tiny problem with the weapon that immediately stood out to Ryoga.

The fact that it looked to be made entirely out of _solid gold_.

"It's the best weapon in the whole shop," the owner said with a wide smile. "It was made by the Germanian alchemist Lord Shupei. It'll slice steel right in half."

"Bullshit," Ryoga's blunt statement caused Louise and the owner to look at him confused. "Who are you trying to fool old man? That's not steel, that's fucking gold isn't it? You honestly think something like that can be used as a weapon? Don't joke around. Something like that would be so unbalanced and weak it'd break the moment I make any attempt to defend myself with it. It'd be better off hung as a trophy than a means of defense."

Louise's eyes widened as she looked over the golden blade. To her it seemed just like any old sword, though really she had never cared much for weapons as she was a mage. But if Ryoga was telling the truth then not only was it not a real weapon, but he had managed to depict the difference with just a single glance. Which begged the question of just how much experience in swordsmanship he actually had to be capable of such a thing?

The shopkeeper meanwhile panicked at being found out but quickly hid it behind a smile. "I-It's much stronger than you give it credit for boy. A weapon like this is crafted once in a lifetime and was done with distinct precision. Trust me when I say it's definitely worth the price for buying it."

"And just how much is the price?" Louise asked, her own suspicions now rising. The fact that Ryoga was able to spot such a difference in material and call it out showed that the man was either conned into obtaining this prop, or was the one attempting to con them, something she wouldn't stand for.

"Three-thousand new gold coins," the owner answered.

"You could buy a freshly-made house with a forest and yard with that much gold!" Louise exclaimed.

Ryoga's glare intensified. He fucking knew it. This bastard was trying to rip them off.

"Not happening," the former Barian declared, the ferocity in his eyes making the shopkeeper step back afraid. "Not for that weapon and _definitely_ not for that price. You might as well bring out the previous blade before we decided that we've wasted our time here."

Realizing the jig was up the shopkeeper relented and held his hands in surrender. "A-Alright fine. But don't blame me if you end up dead because you refused such an amazing opportunity."

Ryoga scoffed. "I won't."

The owner frowned but accepted defeat and put the golden blade under the counter. "In any case, if you want that other blade it will be a hundred and eighty-seven new gold coins."

Louise flinched at the price, something Ryoga immediately noticed. "Louise?"

"I only brought a hundred new gold with me," the noble girl quietly mumbled. Ryoga couldn't help but look annoyed and felt the urge to facepalm.

"Haha, sorry girl, but fact is most average swords go around two hundred new gold," the shopkeeper said, looking a bit more relaxed by the situation. "If you expect to buy anything decent you're gonna need a lot more than that."

Ryoga gave a light growl but kept his temper in check. Hitting the old geezer wouldn't do anything; well actually it might make him feel better. But even with the money given to him from Osmond that still left them several coins short, and he doubted any other store in this town would be much cheaper if the haggler was actually telling the truth this time.

"Is there anything here we can get for at least a hundred coins?" Louise asked having apparently come to the same conclusion.

"One hundred?" The owner repeated almost amused. He rubbed his chin in thought before walking past the two and making his way to the front of the store, specifically towards the same barrel Ryoga spotted before. Ruffling through it the man grabbed something inside and pulled it out. "Well if you want there is this."

 **BA-BUMP!**

Ryoga looked down to his Barian pendant, which pulsed again and was now emitting a strange feeling in his chest. _"What's going on?"_

"It's a bit old and rusty, but if you tidy it up it can still do a lot of good for ya," the owner said as he dropped weapon into Ryoga's hands.

It was a single edged longsword with a decent sized handguard. The handle was wrapped in white bandages while a loose metal flap circled the blade just above the handguard. The blade itself was a bit dulled but still relatively sharp though the whole weapon was covered in rust, giving it a brownish colored tint. Overall despite the age and wear it looked like it could have been a fine weapon long ago.

But still…

 **BA-BUMP!**

Ryoga's eyes narrowed. What was this feeling? This...pressure…he sensed just from looking at it?

 **BA-BUMP!**

As Louise spoke with the shopkeeper the Duelist slowly reached out towards the sword's handle. His palm hovered just above it, as if unsure for a moment.

 **BA-BUMP!**

Ryoga's eyes then hardened and his hand grasped the handle firmly. The moment he did the Barian crest exploded with a bright crimson light, nearly blinding everyone in the shop as they covered their eyes.

"What the heck!?" Ryoga shouted.

"Ryoga!" Louise called out surprised and worried.

The crimson light glowed brightly as Ryoga felt his body become cemented in place. His grip on the sword seemed to lock onto itself, his fingers refusing to budge as he felt the power of Chaos flow through his body and into the weapon, as it began doing _something_ to it. After several long seconds the flow suddenly stopped as the light died near instantaneously, allowing the three to gain their sight back and stare at each other confused.

"W-What was that?" The weapons owner stepped back fearfully, nearly tripping over himself in the process.

"Ryoga! Are you okay?" Louise quickly moved to the Duelist side and checked him over.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine," Ryoga replied, shaking his head clear and looking down at his pendant. "What the hell was that?"

"WOAH! What a rush! That's one way to wake a weapon up!"

The duo jumped as a sudden and new voice appeared out of nowhere. Looking around they quickly became confused when they couldn't find anyone else in the room save for the rat-faced owner, who looked just as surprised as them.

"Oy! Over here dummies!"

Both "master" and "familiar" turned their gaze towards the shouting. However much to their surprise they found themselves staring at the very weapon Ryoga was holding. Both looked back up confused before looking down at the sword again.

Were they hearing thin-

"So, you're the one who woke me huh? Have to say, you got one hell of an alarm bell pal."

"...Did this sword just talk?" Ryoga questioned as he watched the metal flap on the blade move to the deep male sounding voice. He had seen a lot of weird shit in his lifetimes but this was definitely a new one.

"T-T-That's impossible!" The owner yelled in disbelief, his reaction drawing the attention of the noble and Duelist. "T-There's no way! T-That thing, it's an Intelligent Sword!"

"Intelligent Sword?" Ryoga repeated.

The owner shakily nodded. "I-I heard the rumors but I didn't believe them! Tales of weapons that were crafted by magic to have thoughts of their own and become sentient! T-That sword isn't just a weapon, it's fully alive!"

"No way," Louise uttered, her own disbelief showing. She also heard the stories from her family but hadn't believed them herself, yet here was undeniable proof right in front of her eyes. Even if it was a bit disturbing.

While such an item was incredibly rare to find, it was as the shop owner said. The weapon was technically "alive" and had the ability to act and speak of its' own free will. It was a bit creepy for her seeing as it would be like having another person constantly hanging over your shoulder or waist the whole time, seeing and hearing everything you did even during the most private of moments. The Valliere shivered at the concept.

Ryoga meanwhile continued to stare at the weapon, his mind in deep thought. Was this the reason his pendant was reacting the way it did? Because it somehow knew this sword was "alive" so to speak? If so then why did his power of Chaos flare up like that? To wake the sword up? How had it known to do such a thing, or even managed to do so in the first place?

"Hmmm, interesting," the sword suddenly "spoke", catching Ryoga's full attention. "You're an odd one boy. You're not a user, but you've definitely got something interesting inside you. Something really strong and familiar, though I have no idea what it could be."

That caused the Duelist's eyes to widen. Could this sword sense the power of Chaos inside of him? What did this all mean?

"Ah whatever, doesn't matter now anyways. Name's Derflinger, Lord Derflinger!" The weapon boasted proudly. "Say buddy, why don't ya buy me from this guy and let me come with ya?"

Ryoga blinked. "Huh? Where did that suddenly come from?" He asked confused.

"Well I mean you were the one that woke me up pal," Derflinger explained. "Not exactly sure what's going on or what year it is, but I saw enough from when you sent that mojo into me. If you hadn't done that I'd still be sleeping in that stuffy old barrel for who knows how long. Heck I'd have probably been melted down or something. Frankly I'd rather be used by some weird power wielding kid than sitting around gathering dust all day. What do you say?"

" _I think I would say this is one of the weirdest situations I've ever been in,"_ Ryoga thought. It wasn't every day you come across a living weapon after all. Hell, this whole situation reminded him a lot of how Yuma was seen constantly speaking to his Emperor's Key pendant or an empty space of air, even though he was actually speaking to Astral. Not that it helped to stem the rumors and weirdness the boy brought on himself.

Despite the similarity and oddness of the situation Ryoga took a moment to try and process everything that was happening, as well as debate on the pros and cons of what the sword suggested. Surprisingly he found himself actually leaning towards accepting the idea, as having another set of eyes and ears, metaphorically speaking, could be pretty handy to have around considering he was still getting used to this world. This "Derflinger" could act as an extra role of support for the former Barian like Astral had been to Yuma, though how much that support would provide was unknown. Still it would be nice to converse with someone outside of Louise every now and then, as well as provide feedback and ideas to him about future events or situations. Two minds were usually better than one after all.

Plus Derflinger said that he had been shown enough of the situation through Ryoga's "mojo", which meant the power of Chaos. Did this mean the sword had the ability to connect to his power of Chaos? If so then this couldn't just be a mere coincidence, and despite whatever reasons made this even possible, by taking the sword with him it might become a key to opening up answers to the many questions Ryoga had about what was going on.

Having come to a solid answer Ryoga nodded and grinned. "Sounds interesting. I'll take it."

"Eh!?" Louise shouted in disbelief. "W-Wait a second, you're not serious are you Ryoga? You really want that t-thing to come with us? Couldn't you just get something else? Something less…lively?"

"I've already made up my mind Louise. Derflinger is coming with us," Ryoga said firmly.

"B-But-" Louise tried to protest only to be completely ignored by the Duelist.

"Name's Kamishiro Ryoga, though you can just call me Shark if you want," the former Barian introduced himself to the weapon.

"Shark huh? Funny name for a kid. Ah whatever. Nice meeting ya partner!" Derflinger greeted back.

Louise stared slack-jawed at the conversing duo before sighing exasperatedly, having given up on understanding what just happened.

* * *

After getting the owner to sell Derflinger for the original price of one hundred gold, thanks in part to Louise playing up her nobility role, the newly founded trio returned to the academy. Ryoga spent rest of the day conversing with Derflinger, nicknamed Derf for an easier time, and explaining everything about the situation they were both in. Derf seemed to enjoy hearing about the misadventures of the Duelist, even openly laughing upon hearing how Ryoga beat the snob out of Guiche, as well as learning about the conditions of him being a "familiar". Louise meanwhile kept mostly to herself and just watched the two interact with each other, still feeling disturbed and even a bit annoyed by the sword's ability to speak, especially when it started messing with her. She kept her complaints silent though knowing it was too late to turn back now, even if she sorely regretted it.

Overall despite the unusual experience the day had gone as planned and ended without further incident.

"So what do you think Ryoga darling?"

Or at least it had until _she_ showed up.

"Why are you even here Zerbst?" Louise fiercely demanded from Kirche, her rival standing across from her while Tabitha sat on Louise's bed reading another book. The redhead had all but barged into Louise's room unannounced, much to both occupant's disdain, dragging with her the bookworm as well as an all too familiar item.

"Why? Why to give a present to my dear Ryoga of course," Kirche answered with an all too innocent smile. "I just so happened to find a sword befitting of my dear love and decided to get it for him."

By sword she meant the same golden piece of crap from earlier.

"You followed us," Louise stated more than accused.

"Oh nothing of the sort," Kirche waved the notion away. "I just happened to catch sight of you both back in town when you left that weapon shop. And since I wanted to apologize to my beloved for the misunderstanding we had last night, I decided to offer this wonderful beauty as a sign of peace," she chuckled and gave a challenging smirk to Louise. "Not that it's any of your business little Louise, as it's a private matter between the two of us. A very, _very_ private matter."

Louise's temper threatened to snap at the hidden meaning but was stopped when Ryoga shoved the golden trophy back into Kiriche's arms, much to the Germanian's surprise.

"Sorry, but I'm not interested in that piece of junk. And even if I was I'd have no interest in accepting it from someone like you," the shark user said with a calm anger, clearly having not forgotten the events of the previous night.

"Haha! What a way with words partner! And rejecting a fine piece of ass like that, you're definitely one of a kind!" Derf voiced out from his spot against the wall, his sudden dialogue causing Kirche to jump and look at the weapon startled.

"Eh!? An Intelligent Sword!?" Kirche yelped. Even Tabitha's normally stoic gaze showed slight curiosity at the unexpected event. Kirche soon regained her sense and threw a cautious look at Louise. "Seems you got him quite the strange and bizarre piece didn't you Louise? How befitting for someone like you."

"It's not like I was the one who picked it out!" Louise glanced over to Ryoga annoyed, something her rival picked up on.

"Wait, you're saying darling picked it out himself?" Kirche turned to Ryoga for confirmation.

"Better weird and bizarre than a lying manipulator like you," Ryoga answered coldly, his reply making Kirche flinch a little. He could care less though. He didn't know what the siren was planning but he wasn't going to start make things easy for her, and intended to make that as well-known as possible.

Though he could do without Derf's background laughter.

His actions made Louise happy though as the pink-colored noble smiled brightly. With the memories of the night before still fresh in her mind it was quite satisfying to watch her busty rival be shot down in front of her, and it made her proud to know that Ryoga was the one doing it and that he wasn't a perverted dog like all the other boys at the school. Still a jerk and mean at times yes, but not a perverted dog.

"There you have it Zerbst. Even my familiar says he wants nothing to do with your little 'present' or with you. Best to run off while you still have some dignity left, if you even have any that is," Louise said with a mockingly gleeful expression.

Kirche glared at the chibi but quickly settled down as she glanced over to Ryoga. She had realized shortly after the disaster with the water user that her normal tactics wouldn't work on such a divine specimen of a man and would only serve to push him further away. And while she enjoyed the idea of playing hard to get, she knew that any attempts to get close and have him fall for her would need to be planned out more carefully than usual and not do anything to entice his anger, even if she did find it incredibly hot.

Sighing dramatically the Germanian rose a hand to her forehead and put on a sorrowful act of defeat. "I see. Clearly darling needs a bit more time to cool down from our time together. Very well. I know when I'm not wanted so I shall retreat for the time being. But know this Louise, Ryoga darling," she turned to the purple-clad boy and gave a very sensual smile. "I may have lost this battle, but I won't lose the war for your heart my love. So do wait for me."

Ryoga looked about ready to gag and turned his gaze away from Kirche's. This girl was going be a constant fucking pain in the ass, he just knew it.

As Kirche moved to leave Tabitha stood from the bed and followed after her, only for the bespectacled girl to pause mid-way and turn towards Ryoga.

Caught off guard by the unexpected attention Ryoga frowned and glared back. "What? You got something to say too?"

Tabitha didn't reply at first, leaving the two to stare at each other in a strange silence while Louise and Kirche watched confused. The silence was broken a moment later as Tabitha spoke in a soft voice.

"Thank you."

Ryoga's glare disappeared into confusion. "Huh?"

"For feeding Sylphid."

Tabitha then turned and walked out the room past Kirche, who looked at her friend surprised before shrugging it off and chasing after the bluenette, though not before blowing a kiss to Ryoga.

"What was that about?" Louise inquired while glaring at Ryoga suspiciously.

"Don't ask me," Ryoga replied just as confused.

Who the hell was Sylphid?

* * *

The next few days passed by with relative ease, with the exception being Kirche's constant attempts to get closer to Ryoga, which only served to further annoy him. He also learned that Sylphid was the name of the giant dragon that wouldn't leave him alone during lunch, and that now knowing the dragon's name had caused her, yes _her_ , to grow even more attached to the purple-colored boy, making the whole situation even more of a pain in the ass to deal with.

On the other side of things, ever since acquiring Derflinger, Ryoga had begun practicing with the sentient sword each night for a couple of hours in order to relearn and remaster all the skills he possessed as a swordsman. While he had all the memories of his fighting style from when he was king, it wouldn't do any good if his body couldn't enact those movements and skills to their best, just like in the Duel with Guiche. It would also help to slowly rebuild his stamina for longer battles, which Ryoga figured was a guarantee to happen in a world like this.

As such Ryoga found himself in the open courtyard on one such night, swinging Derf around at invisible targets. His body swayed and flowed with each strike and movement, doing all it could to not waste any excess energy as the cool night air graced his skin.

"Got to say partner, you're not half bad at this," Derf complimented, his metal body slicing through the air in Ryoga's grip. "A bit sloppy in some parts, but you're definitely no amateur. Keep this up and you'll be quite the swordsman in no time."

"Yeah," the one-word answer was all Ryoga said as he thrust the blade out and ducked down before spinning around in a slashing motion. One thing he could say about Def was that the sword was the talkative type, loving to comment on any and everything he could. Much like how he heard Astral was when he first appeared before Yuma.

The irony that he now possessed an object with a living sentience in it was not lost on him.

Normally Ryoga couldn't stand people who didn't know when to shut up or leave him alone, as shown through his early interactions with Yuma, but despite this Derf was actually a pretty decent "guy" to talk to despite being a sword. He was a bit of a loudmouth at times sure, but had also proven to be very intelligent and focused when needed, and the two seemed to get along quite well despite their short time together. It also helped that his new partner wasn't nearly as annoying as Yuma or his little gang of friends could be, though the Duelist was pretty sure nobody could ever match the level of weirdness that particular group had.

Deciding to finish up for the night, the water user stepped back and ran forward as fast as he could before leaping high into the air. He flipped once over and reversed Derf in his grip before landing on his feet and plunging the blade deep into the ground, all while imagining the face of Vector as the thing he was impaling.

It made for great therapy to picture slicing up that bastard.

As Ryoga took a moment to catch his breath the sound of clapping suddenly caught his attention. Turning towards the noise he was surprised to see a familiar face watching from a distance. "Siesta?"

The raven-haired maiden finished clapping and walked over, her face in awe. "That was amazing Shark-san. I didn't realize you knew how to use a sword in such a manner."

Ryoga chuckled and straightened himself while removing Derf from the ground. "Yeah. I have some experience, but I still got a lot of work to do if I want to get even better."

"I see. Still, I've never seen anybody do what you just did before. It was truly amazing," Siesta complimented with a smile.

"Oh hoh, who is this partner?" Derf asked teasingly. "You didn't tell me you knew such a hot babe. She quite the beauty isn't she? Don't tell me you've got a secret fling going on while serving your dear sweet ma-"

"Shut up," Ryoga smacked Derf into his sheath, silencing the blade as he did.

While he didn't mind having the sword as his partner there were times where Derf's "mouth" would just say things to mess with or annoy the former king and the people around him. Specifically when it involved women. Probably found some sadistic humor in it.

Or he was a pervert. If that was even possible for a sword.

Despite sheathing the weapon the damage was already done as Siesta turned beat red and looked at the weapon surprised. "D-Did that sword just-"

"Yes it did. His name's Derflinger and he likes to mess with people so don't let what he says get to you," Rygoa casually explained. He already had to deal with Louise's attitude towards the sword messing with her and didn't want to experience it again from someone else, especially someone like Siesta.

"I-I see," Siesta said as she recovered from the initial shock and smiled. "That's just like you though Shark-san. You're always full of surprises."

 _"You have no idea,"_ Ryoga mentally thought to himself. "So how have you been? I haven't seen you around lately."

"I'm fine Shark-san, just finishing up some last minute laundry before I turned in for the night. But I caught sight of you and well…" Siesta blushed and looked embarrassed. "I couldn't help but watch. Sorry."

Ryoga shrugged. "Don't apologize. It's not like I was keeping it secret or anything so there's no need to feel nervous about watching. Besides, it's not that big of a deal."

"But it is," Siesta's face suddenly seemed to glow with a serene happiness while her eyes looked to be almost gleaming in the moonlight. "You're really amazing Shark-san. You never let anything get you down and follow your own path without any fear or hesitation. You don't care for how others look at you or judge you, and even when people call you a noble you choose to ignore their words and just stay who you are. You're really amazing you know?"

Those words caught the Duelist by surprise. "Where'd this all come from all of a sudden?"

Siesta looked down to hide her burning cheeks. "Well you see…I know I haven't gotten the chance to talk to you lately because of how busy I've been, but I've been watching you whenever I could. I know it may sound strange, but because of you I'm not as afraid as I used to be. I feel more courageous and confident in myself, and find it much easier now to do my best with my work. To not listen to the insults or comments people make and just move forward without fear or hesitation. You helped me to find this strength in myself Shark-san. A strength that I never knew I had, and I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate it," Siesta crossed her hands in front of her and bowed. "So thank you Shark-san. Thank you so very much for showing me what I couldn't see before in myself."

Ryoga was stunned silent. The declaration and honesty of the raven-haired beauty was just like when he had spoken with Katie several days before, or all the times he interacted with Yuma. Those personalities that just screamed innocence and accepted him openly without hesitation, wanting nothing more than to get closer despite the things he had done.

He already made peace with the fact that he hadn't hurt anyone during the Duel with Guiche, save the blonde noble himself, or made a mistake with his actions thanks to Katie. The first-year had opened his eyes and made him realize how stupid he was being, and so he no longer held any doubts or worries about Siesta's words in regards to her trusting him. But he still didn't expect his actions to have given such inspiration to the maid, or to have received such high thanks for it.

It was so unexpected that the former king actually felt his cheeks flare up in embarrassment at the praise.

"A-Alright alright I get it, just get up already. There's no reason for you to bow or anything. You'll make me feel like one of those stupid nobles," Ryoga said turning away to hide his face, feeling completely stupid in doing so.

"Oh? Well maybe it wouldn't be so bad to work under a noble like you Shark-san," Siesta suggested with a playful smile.

"Oy!"

The raven-haired maid giggled at Ryoga's reaction, but despite the teasing he couldn't help but chuckle himself.

He had forgotten how relaxing it was to talk to Siesta. She didn't judge him or his actions and didn't see him as some "fallen noble" or "Familiar of Zero", or whatever the hell Kirche saw him as in that bizarre head of hers. She didn't even question him or thought he was lying when he had told her that he wasn't a noble and didn't have magic. Instead she saw him as a regular person, and in turn he realized that she was someone he could talk to normally without fear of being labeled or judged, just like with Katie.

Which was still odd in itself since interacting and conversing with people was not exactly one of his strong points. That was always Yuma's talent. In fact he was pretty sure if he had a list of his top ten strongest points, interaction and socializing would be one hundred and one. And yet now that he thought about it, he had spent more time helping out and conversing with the people of this world more than he had with the people back in Heartland outside of Yuma and the gang.

" _I wonder if this is also due your influence Yuma?"_ Ryoga pondered with a smile as he remembered the times he spent with the young Duelist. Looking back at Siesta a spontaneous feeling grew in his chest, and for once he decided to say "fuck it" and followed after it. "Say Siesta."

"Hm?"

"The next time you're off, let's hang out," the water user suggested, making the maid's eyes widen. "Let's just take a day off away from all the stupid nobles and idiocy that's around and just talk and stuff. We won't have to worry about anything else and just do whatever the hell we want. What do you say?"

Siesta's face turned bright red as she suddenly found the ground far more interesting to look at. Remembering how only a few days ago she had wished for something similar made the beauty suddenly feel very nervous and shy at the offer, but at the same time giddy and joyful. Before she could delve into further thoughts though a recent memory filled her mind, and with it the thoughts and feelings were quickly dashed as her heart became heavy.

Siesta quickly pushed the feeling aside and looked back up with a smile. "I'd like that very much."

Ryoga grinned. "Alright then, its' settled. Next time we're both available we'll have a day just to ourselves and have some fun."

"I look forward to that day Shark-san," Siesta agreed, bowing to him once more. "I suppose I'd best be off until then. Have a good night Shark-san."

"Yeah. Take care Siesta," Ryoga replied, giving a light wave of his hand as he moved to head back to tower.

"Ah, Shark-san?"

Ryoga paused mid-step and turned around. "Yeah?"

"I…" Siesta looked down nervously, almost hesitant even, before asking. "Are we…friends?"

Ryoga froze.

Such a simple question, and yet it held more weight to it than Siesta could ever realize.

Were they friends? Ryoga could count on one hand the number of people he could actually call a friend. A _real_ friend at that, with the rest being either acquaintances or allies. But now that he thought it over had he actually called anyone from this world a friend yet?

Sure he and Katie were just beginning to form their own friendship, least he assumed they were, and while he and Louise had issues with each other they did have a bond of their own. Not the familiar one thankfully, but they now had a relationship with which they both understood each other a lot more from. But could he consider these events with both girls enough to actually consider them friends?

Could he even consider Siesta one?

"...Heh," Ryoga smirked with closed eyes. "Isn't it obvious?" Siesta seemed confused and worried by the action, only for Ryoga to open his eyes and look at her with a soft smile. "Of course we're friends."

Siesta's breath hitched. Her heart raced and her body froze in place. Even when Ryoga turned and walked away once more, she couldn't break her gaze from his back nor shake the warmth that rapidly grew in her chest. Even as he disappeared from sight, the maid couldn't stop repeating the words over and over again in her head.

 _"Of course we're friends."_

"I'd glad Shark-san..." Siesta whispered, her voice shaky and quiet as she quickly walked away. All while hiding the broken smile and pouring tears that appeared on her face. "I'm so glad…"

* * *

 **...*looks around before stepping forward and clearing throat***

 **Hey guys! Good to see you all again, and with the latest update to my story, chapter 13! Woho!...god this will be a long story if I've only gotten this far, haha.**

 **In any case I had hoped to get this chapter up sooner but there were a lot of changes and updates I had to make with it, along with the other chapter I'm working on. Plus despite me having a lot more free time this month, it does not mean less work *groans***

 **Also on a side note I would like to point out that in my opening disclaimer I mentioned not to possibly support the company Konami, and rather just Yu-Gi-Oh!. And well it's because of their practices and recent trends they've been doing to their gaming industry. Yu-Gi-Oh! is still fun, despite how annoying and busted the game has become, but the video game field of Konami has been killing itself the past few months, and after a recent interview from the man himself, Jim Fucking Sterling Son (Thank Kami for him), I realized how low the great company has fallen, especially with the disgrace they've done to their castlevania and silent hill franchises.**

 **But enough about that! Time for some good old fashion reviews! Also don't worry, I got over the worry session from last time and accepted that I won't always get major reviews or opinions all the time. It'd be nice to hear from you guys sure, but I am happy simply knowing you guys are out there reading and enjoying my story. Anyways onto the reviews!**

 **Touhou Is life: Not a problem man, I understand that not everybody wants to log in just to leave a review or comment. Long as you're enjoying the story. Now in regards to the Kirche and Ryoga interaction, well Ryoga is not too pleased by Kirche's actions because they remind him of a certain OTHER manipulator of emotions and feelings (points calmly to the son of a ! % troll named Vector), so their relationship will definitely be strained at the start. How will it change or be affected as the story goes on, well we'll just have to see, though if you guys have any ideas you'd like to see I'd be more than happy to hear.**

 **And I think some people may have misread the Sylphid bit so let me explain. Ryoga, as of the last chapter, has now been in this world for over a week now, over two now with this chapter. Meaning he's already been Louise's "familiar" for several days and has dealt with all the "familiar" aspects so far. Their first meeting was of course when he first fed Sylphid, which was set during that time but not in the actual chapter. That interaction was just the standard meeting between the two every day at lunch (which you will see again next chapter) and now Sylphid has grown attached to him because of it, even though he clearly doesn't like it. He does not know Sylphid can transform though.**

 **Firem78190: Thank you man. Respect to those great men, and I hope to read your story one day. *bows***

 **Guest: Glad you enjoyed that. Yeah Ryoga definitely has a connection to the water familiars because of...well his connection to water, and Sylphid thanks to his own actions (though I laugh at the idea of Sylphid ontop of Ryoga and nuzzling him happily while he just tries to shove her off. Would love to see an actual picture of that happening.) And I hope you liked this chapter as well.**

 **Sekishiki: Hey man good to see ya. Yeah I hope the tame chapters don't bother you too much. There will always be a sort of mix throughout the story just like in each series. Though you can look forward to next chapter being a more serious one given what's going to happen.**

 **And dude...bless you...god bless you man! \^.^/**

 **I had planned for cat shark to appear later on in a duel but this...oh god THIS IS AWESOME! HOW DID I NOT THINK OF THIS!? DO YOU KNOW THE AMOUNT OF INSANITY AND FUN I COULD PULL WITH THIS IDEA!? HAHAH! xD**

 **Oh man the only issue will be deciding when and how to do it! It won't be anytime soon, but man I will find a way! FIND A WAY I TELL YOU! If you have any ideas of a proper time let me know because dude, CAT SHARK WILL BE IN THIS STORY!**

 ***Is already imagining seen between Ryoga, Cat Shark and Sylphid, and begins to laugh manically***

 **Ahem...anyways, if you guys know the series you know what's coming up. And Ryoga...oooohhhh I feel so sorry for the bastard that's going to piss him off.**

 **...actually I don't. *grins evilly***

 **Can't wait till next time! See ya then guys!**

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	15. Saving Siesta! Zeus's Breath!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works

* * *

"Dammit will you just leave me alone already!?" Ryoga screamed as he ran across the school courtyard, trying to get away from the giant blue dragon chasing him.

"Kyuui!" Sylphid cried out.

"I told you I don't have any food for you! Go bother someone else!" Ryoga shouted angrily. Sylphid shook her head in disagreement.

"Kyuui!"

Ryoga cursed his luck. It was once again lunchtime and Tabitha's familiar had instantly sought out the poor boy for his food like always. This time however he had gotten the smart idea to eat his lunch in the corridors just outside the dining hall, quickly finishing it off before he went outside. The hope was that the sight of him without any food would cause the overgrown reptile to leave him alone, but instead Sylphid seemed to think he was hiding his lunch from her and was now chasing after him as a result like it was some kind of game. He was really starting to regret ever handing a single piece of food to the damn lizard.

Hearing the sound of flapping behind him Ryoga looked back to see Sylphid preparing to take flight, apparently having had enough of chasing him on foot. Knowing he'd be caught in mere seconds from the unfair advantage the Duelist made a mad dash for the nearest bridge underpass of the school walkways.

" _If I can just make it inside I'll be safe!"_ Ryoga thought as he pushed his legs to their absolute limit. The sound of air movement rapidly approached from behind as he neared the walkway. He could almost feel the dragon breathing down his neck, if it wasn't freaking there already. "Not fucking today!" He loudly cried before jumping as hard and as far as he could towards safety.

Only for another figure to suddenly walk into the path and look up surprised.

"What the?"

"Shit!"

The sound of crashing bodies reverberated loudly throughout the courtyard. Sylphid quickly halted her flight and stopped just outside the underpass, landing back on her feet and staring curiously at the fallen individuals before her.

"Dammit…not again," Ryoga grumbled, his annoyance spiking as he pushed himself up and rubbed his head. Seriously, this whole running into people gag was starting to piss him off now. It wasn't even funny to begin with.

"Ohhh. What hit me?" The voice of the person Ryoga knocked over groaned. A voice that sounded awfully familiar to him as he looked up to see just who he had the pleasure of running into this time. Luckily it wasn't a girl this time, but it was definitely someone he remembered.

"You…you're Marteau right? Siesta's boss?" Ryoga said, recognizing the large form of the school's head chef. The man looked up at his name and his eyes widened in surprise.

"Ah! It's you! Err…Shark right?" Marteau asked.

"Yeah, that's me. You alright?" Ryoga got to his feet and extended a hand to the larger man, who graciously took it and pulled himself up.

"Yeah I'm good. Just caught by surprise was all. Not everyday you end up running into a kid out of nowhere," Marteau jested while dusting himself off.

"Right, sorry about that. I was a bit preoccupied with something to notice," Ryoga directed a hard glare towards Sylphid, who seemed to have thankfully calmed down and was just watching the two interact, though if the dragon could have a sheepish look to her she would probably be wearing it. He really needed to talk to Tabitha about controlling her damn familiar.

"Ah don't worry about it. I was pretty distracted myself so no need to apologize for it," Marteau said with a grin. "Just make sure you watch where you're going next time. Last thing you want is to make accidentally make a noble drop something valuable and cause it to get broken," he grimaced in memory. "Trust me, the aftermath of that is never pretty."

"Oh I think I can imagine," Ryoga replied, remembering full well how Guiche acted not long ago. "Though I'm surprised to hear you say such a thing to me. I mean, should it really matter when I'm supposedly a noble myself?" the Duelist sarcastically asked.

"That depends," Marteau's eyes quickly became calculating. "Are you?"

Ryoga rolled his own eyes and let out a loud scoff. "It's what everyone else keeps saying, and it's not like they bother to hear me out. Frankly I could care less but it's still a pain in the ass to deal with."

Marteau frowned at Shark's response. The older man didn't like to admit it, but he was regrettably one of those that hadn't bothered to hear the boy out, though that was only because he still hadn't made up his mind over what to think of the human familiar and his recent actions. While Marteau hadn't witnessed the duel himself and could only base his opinions on what he heard, he was caught between hugging the kid tightly or keeping a safe distance from him.

On one hand Shark had managed to defeat one of those stuck-up brats in a duel and delivered a hard blow to noble class because of it, something that would always make Marteau happy. But on the other hand the rumors and witnesses said that the boy had used magic himself and had summoned a familiar during the fight, which put him under the same category as every other noble. There was even a new rumor spreading about that the boy was a fallen noble, something the chef wasn't sure whether to consider better or worse. Still the whole staff had been put on edge because of this debacle, with Siesta being the only person to vouch for the kid, having openly defended him and believing his words about not being a noble or having magic despite the fact that she had a front row seat to the duel.

The reminder of the raven-haired maid caused Marteau's expression to turn from calculating to sorrowful, a change Ryoga immediately noticed and was confused by. Before he could think to question it the burly man spoke again. "Well regardless just be more careful next time alright? Noble or not, you don't want to make a bad habit of running into people all the time. It's not a very bright future let me tell you."

"Oh I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Let's just hope _others_ do as well," Ryoga sent another glare towards Sylphid who looked down embarrassed. Well as embarrassed as a giant flying dragon could look. "Anyways, I'll get out of your way now. Sorry again for the trouble, and tell Siesta hi for me would you?"

Ryoga turned and began to leave, not noticing how Marteau's eyes suddenly widened.

"Wait, Siesta?" the cook said confused, the tone of which made Ryoga pause in step and look back.

"Yeah. That's not a problem is it?" the Duelist questioned. It wasn't so surprising to expect a reaction like this. With the whole debate of him being a noble still in the air as well as his new found "quality time" as Louise's "familiar", many of the servants still weren't sure how to treat him and tended to avoid him like a plague. Siesta was the only one out of the whole staff who he even interacted with.

Yet for some reason the older man's face didn't show off the same kind of expressions he had seen on the other servants.

In fact…he looked rather worried.

"You mean...Siesta didn't tell you?" Marteau asked grimly.

And like that a pit of dread grew in Ryoga's stomach, his eyes narrowed in confusion.

"Tell me what?"

* * *

"Count Mott?" Louise turned from brushing her hair to face Ryoga, surprised by the unexpected question. "Yes I know of him. Why?"

"Just curious is all. I heard he passed through the school recently and wanted to know who he was," Ryoga explained calmly, though on the inside he was anything but.

Marteau had explained to him that Siesta quit her job earlier that morning, and that she had already packed her belongings and left the school grounds. The knowledge of which left Ryoga completely shocked and baffled, especially since he had just spoken with her last night and she made no mention of this to him. In fact she seemed perfectly fine, which just frustrated him further for not noticing anything wrong. When he questioned Marteau further as to the reason Siesta quit, the man told him that she was apparently sold off to some noble named Count Mott to work as his own personal maid. The way the chef said it though did not sit well with the former Barian, nor did the discovery that she had been sold off of all things.

It wasn't that he hadn't seen such practices before as it was a common occurrence during his first life, with rulers and lords constantly buying and selling servants in order to help progress and improve the status and workflow of their kingdoms. Even he and Rio had many servants come and go over the years, though they had never bought or sold anyone against their will and always made sure to take care of those that worked under them. Yet it made him feel all the more foolish for not considering that such a system could exist in this world too, let alone that it would affect someone like Siesta. But as Marteau and everyone kept saying, in the end the nobles had control over the commoners, meaning there was nothing Siesta could have done about her situation even if she had wanted to stay.

That just angered Ryoga even further, but it also set off alarm bells in his head. While he was rightfully pissed that one of the few people he liked in this world was now gone, and against her will dammit, it was the sheer action of her not saying anything that disturbed him. Sure she might have been saddened by the thought of leaving and didn't want to bring it up since she probably figured it would be their last conversation together, but to just hide it behind a smile and not say a single word? Especially after the two had agreed to spend a whole day to themselves? After asking if they were friends?

Something felt wrong about the situation, and since Marteau seemed unwilling to tell the exact reason, Ryoga turned to his "master" hoping to get some answers.

"Count Mott is a royal messenger from the palace and one of the more notable higher-class nobles in the kingdom. He usually comes by to deliver important news or information to the headmaster directly," Louise explained while she continued brushing her hair. "Though personally I don't like him very much. He always acts so cocky and arrogant, and he looks at the girls here with that stupid perverted face of his."

Ryoga's eyes hardened. He already didn't have a good feeling about this whole situation, and Louise's answer only served to make it worse.

"And Siesta is now working for someone like him?" he asked leaning against the window, watching the sun set over the horizon.

"It can't be helped," Louise shrugged. "There are always nobles interested in having one of our staff work for them. As long as they pay well then it's not really that big an issue," she explained as if it was a normal thing. The shark user begged to differ.

"But why Siesta in particular?" Ryoga pondered with a frown. "I mean I heard she was requested by name. Did she know the guy or something?"

"Probably not," Derflinger decided to voice from his spot against the wall. "When a nobleman requests a young girl by name, it's usually along the lines that she's to be his mistress."

"What did you say!?" Ryoga's eyes fully widened as he turned to the sword in shock.

"What? You mean you didn't know?" Derf said confused.

"It's probably true," Louise agreed, her voice now laced with a slight tone of disgust. "Even though it's looked down upon you still hear stories of nobles buying servants from others just so they can turn them into a mistress or lover. There's even rumors that Mott is one of those who perform such practices," she paused in her brushing and developed a scowling look. "Personally I find the action completely revolting and perverted, unbefitting of any true noble. But even though I feel sorry for that maid's situation, it sadly can't be helped."

"The fuck it can't be helped!" Ryoga yelled angrily making Louise jump at the unexpected shout. "If this thing is so looked down upon then why the _fuck_ is it allowed to happen!?"

"It's not!" Louise quickly countered in defense. "You really think something like that would just be allowed by the palace? Of course not! But there's never been any evidence that Count Mott has conducted such activities to his servants, otherwise he'd never be allowed to do such a thing and would be stripped of his title in an instant. But because there's nothing but rumors and gossip to go on there's nothing that can be done about it."

"And so what, you all just stop?" Ryoga's voice became hard as steel. "You don't even bother to investigate further? Send in some spies or agents to check? To see if anyone's been bribed or lied too to cover his tracks?" His eyes grew cold as they bore right into Louise's, causing her to flinch back nervously. "You're really telling me you'll condemn an innocent girl like Siesta to such atrocities just because there's no fucking proof? Even if you know in your heart that it's still wrong?"

Louise looked down guiltily, a feeling of conflict building inside of her before she quickly cast it aside and turned away. "Like I said, there's nothing that can be done. Without evidence Count Mott has legal claim over that Siesta girl, meaning the only way she'd be freed is if she was either bought into the service of another noble or if he lets her go himself," she looked up at Ryoga's reflection in the mirror, his solemn expression filling her with even more emotions that she was forced to push down. "I'm sorry for your friend Ryoga, but for your sake and hers, it's best to just drop the matter and let it go."

Louise said nothing more and walked away to get dressed, leaving Ryoga to stand quietly in place, his hair forming a shadow that covered his eyes while his fist clenched tightly.

Idiot.

He was an absolute _fucking_ idiot!

How had he not realized all of this sooner!? It only made sense that this same fucking problem would exist in this world just as it did his, especially with the buying and selling of servants! Back in his first life there were just as many nobles, rulers, and kingdoms that sought out specific people and servants for reasons beyond simple housework and protection. They were nothing but toys, prizes, fucking trophies! And the bastards who owned them were never kind either, as their servants were abused and mistreated to horrid and less then savory acts, all while being unable to lift a damn finger against their masters.

It was appalling, and while there weren't any global laws or punishments for such actions back then, as each kingdom and ruler had their own ways of doing things, Ryoga despised such maliciousness. The concept of forcing people to do something against their will was the equivalent of slavery, and he had already demonstrated how he felt about such practices when he first learned of the familiar contract.

He had even seen firsthand the true horrors of such twisted and perverse nature when a visiting king kidnapped one of his own servants. The foreign ruler had come with the intent of forming an alliance between his and Ryoga's kingdom, and spotted the young maiden during a tour of Ryoga's castle. Taken in by her beauty the king asked if she would be sold to him in exchange for a great amount of wealth, an offer that while quite generous was kindly refused as the girl wished to remain in Ryoga's service. It was later that night the king showed his true colors when Ryoga and Rio heard the girl screaming for help and witnessed her being taken away by the other king's soldiers. Enraged by this atrocity Ryoga and Durbe immediately gathered their forces and marched out in a rescue attempt, assaulting the vile king's very castle in order to get the girl back.

But when they finally found her, the sight they witnessed left them abhorred.

Her name was once Elena. She was a young girl whose father died as a soldier defending the kingdom and whose mother was quite ill. Ryoga allowed her to work at the castle and had made sure to take care of her and her mother just as he did everyone else. She was kind, sweet, had a huge crush on Durbe, and had one of the most beautiful smiles you could imagine. Just her presence alone seemed to brighten the mood of any day or circumstance.

The shell that laid before Ryoga's and Durbe's eyes that day was nothing of the girl they remembered.

She was broken. She was distraught and scarred. The beautiful smile she once held had been completely shattered with horror and pain by the vile actions committed on her. What was done to her was so revulsive and monstrous that Durbe had gone into a blind rage and slaughtered the corrupted king and his men, something that seemed almost impossible for the white knight to do.

It didn't stop Ryoga from joining him though.

Despite rescuing Elena the girl was never the same. She still loved the kingdom, her mother, and of course her king and queen, but her once bright and innocent soul had been forever tainted. No longer was she the bright and cheerful girl as before, as a cloud of sorrow and fear now constantly hung over her shoulders. No longer was her presence able to light a room up like it always had, instead serving only to darken it. And her once beautiful smile that was loved by all had been all but exterminated, never having the same amount of warmth and affection it once carried. The scars were so horrible that they continued to plague her even when she was reborn as a Barian, a fact that tore at the hearts of Barian Emperors who knew her.

It was because of this cruelty and malice that Ryoga developed an eternal hatred towards those who would dare to abuse, harm, or treat others in such evil ways. He made sure to never allow such corruption within his kingdom, and severely punished those who dared to try and do so. It also made it forever impossible for him to deal with other rulers and kingdoms that allowed or conducted such actions in their own lands, but he never cared. Seeing Elena's soul be broken in such a horrific way was enough for the former Barian to swear to never allow such evil to happen in his presence again.

Yet it was happening again right in front of him. And once again the feelings and emotions running through his heart were of equal comparison to that horrific day.

Siesta, kind hearted and gentle Siesta, had been pulled into that vile and corrupt world against her will. She may have been "legally" bought, but Ryoga knew for a damn fact that she was forced to accept what happened because of the damn count's noble status. Meaning she also knew exactly what was in store for her and had hidden it from the Duelist to try and spare him the pain. Ryoga felt his anger continue to rise as his mind formed images in his head. Pictures of some twisted slimeball forcing Siesta to perform actions she didn't want to do.

" _You helped me to find this strength in myself Shark-san. A strength that I never knew I had, and I just wanted to tell you how much I appreciate it."_

To force her to obey his every command without a single bit of resistance or mercy.

 _"Oh? Well maybe it wouldn't be so bad to work under a noble like you Shark-san."_

To use her for his own selfish and perverse reasons, and then toss her away like she was garbage.

 _"I look forward to that day Shark-san."_

And picturing that smile. That kind and beautiful smile of hers that made even his cold heart feel warm. A smile so similar to that of Elena's, be shattered to pieces once again.

 _"Are we…friends?"_

"Fuck that," the Duelist whispered, the Barian pendant glowing against his chest as he looked up towards the setting sun. His eyes were no longer filled with the rage of Kamishiro Ryoga the water Duelist.

But of the Leader of the Barian Emperors and ruler of the United Lands of the Poseidon Ocean, Nasch.

* * *

"Ah how wonderful! A mythril broach just for me? You shouldn't have," Montmorency said excitedly as she held the gift from Guiche. The blonde male simply smiled and dusted his hair to the side.

"A splendid gift for such a beautiful woman like yourself, wouldn't you say?" Guiche spoke in his most suave voice possible.

"Why indeed. Such a wonderful gift is almost…" Montmorency paused and gave a suspicious glance to Guiche. "Too good to be true."

Guiche flinched under the gaze and chuckled nervously. "M-My dear Montmorency what ever could you mean?"

The female noble huffed and turned her head from him. "Do you really expect a little trinket like this to get me to pretend that nothing happened? Am I but a fool to you?"

Guiche felt his nerves waver slightly but he held strong. After the duel with Ryoga the young noble had been trying his hardest to make up to his fellow blonde by showering her with as much affection and presents as possible. And while she had finally started talking to him again she was still very angry and suspicious of his actions, especially in regards to what he had done with Katie, whom now that he thought about he had yet to apologize too as well.

He'd have to make sure to fix that.

"Why my dear Montmorency, you wound me," Guiche said, putting on his best smile and wrapping an arm around the girl's shoulder. "I promise you I have no such ill intentions. This is simply my way of showing how much I truly appreciate you an-"

"GUICHE!"

A loud and furious voice suddenly roared out into the area causing the two students to jump from their spots. Looking in the direction of the noise they quickly discovered the source, and upon sighting who it came from Guiche turned deathly pale and shot to his feet.

"R-Ryoga!" Guiche stuttered fearfully at seeing the one who defeated him approach. He quickly collected himself and put his best stance forward. "W-What do you want? Don't tell me you plan to intrude on my romantic moment wit-"

"Shut up," Ryoga coldly ordered.

Guiche did exactly as told. The sheer tone of the purple-haired teen showed that he was not in the mood for games. And considering that the memory of staring down a set of razor edged teeth was still fresh in the blonde's memory, the son of the famous General had no intention of further angering Louise's familiar. Especially now that said familiar had a sword attached to his waist.

Montmorency meanwhile just looked back and forth between the two, both nervous and admittedly curious to see what would happen.

Ever since she learned that Louise's familiar was a water user like herself she had found herself slightly interested in the boy. Not attractively like she was with Guiche, but more in everything he had done since his arrival. Not only did he defeat Guiche, an outcome everyone thought impossible, but the way he used water magic as well the familiar he summoned were things she had never before seen from another water mage, even from those in her own family. There was also the fact that her precious familiar Robin had told her of the unusual bond he felt towards the boy, which it seemed all the other water familiars felt as well, and only served to add to her confusion. Even if he wielded water magic like her why would a bunch of familiars of that element, as well as Tabitha's wind dragon for some reason, be so drawn to this "Ryoga" character? What exactly made him so special?

It was these reasons and more that made Montmorency want to find and speak to the boy in private, hoping to question and understand more about who he was and how he was capable of causing such unexplainable phenomenon's. And while she had yet to make any direct contact mostly due to Louise always being by his side, she hoped one day soon to gain such a chance. Though judging from the angry gaze that day was not today.

Before either Guiche or Montmorency could say anything further Ryoga spoke.

"Do you know where Count Mott lives?"

The blonde duo blinked.

"...Huh?"

* * *

"How was your work my dear? I hope you have gotten used to it," Count Mott asked, the noble sitting down and enjoying a cup of tea while he looked over the form of Siesta in front of him. She no longer wore the standard maid uniform from the academy, instead being dressed in the work outfit he provided for her. One that was _far_ more revealing than her previous one.

"Yes sir, for the most part," Siesta replied in a monotone voice. She kept her head pointed down both out of duty and so she didn't have to look at the man before her.

She hated this. She hated being forced into this kind of position. To be forced to bow and serve a noble who saw her as nothing more than a trophy or toy to play with. She had seen it happen to many kind people in the past and it repulsed and horrified her to watch, but now it was even worse because she was one put in such a position. At least at the academy it had been different. While there was the occasional student who treated her like garbage she was still taken care of and helped by the nice professors and her fellow workers.

But now that life was over. Now she had been personally bought out by this Count Mott for her services and there was nothing that could be done about it. He owned her, and now she had to listen to his every demand without resistance less there be dire consequences for her or her family. Worse still was that she had been requested by name, meaning she knew exactly what the noble wanted from her, the thought of which terrified the young woman.

It wasn't fair. It just wasn't fair at all and she hated it, but in the end there was nothing she could do. She was simply another commoner and he a noble. He could do whatever he wanted to her and she wouldn't be able to fight back.

But even knowing all that would happen to her, it paled in comparison to the true pain she felt in her heart.

" _I wish I could have told you Shark-san,"_ Siesta thought as she fought back her tears.

Ever since the previous night she had felt a bitter sense of hypocrisy at herself. She told Shark-san that he managed to inspired her to become more courageous and that she wasn't as afraid anymore, yet here she was cowering under the gaze of this noble. She said that she had found strength in herself, and yet here she was forced to obey the man's every word and unable to fight against it. She said that she could finally see in herself what she hadn't before.

But where was all of that now?

Siesta bit her bottom lip as she struggled to steady her emotions. She had wanted to tell Shark-san the truth, to let him know what was going to happen and hope he could somehow save her like he had saved Miss Valliere. But in the end she didn't have the courage or confidence to do so despite her telling him otherwise, all because she was afraid of seeing that kind smile of his fade away. It was her biggest regret of all, and she only wished she could go back and apologize to him instead of hiding the truth away like a coward.

 _"Why…why did this have to happen?"_ Siesta mentally cried as the count stood up from his chair.

"Good, good. I wouldn't want you to be overexerting yourself now," Mott said smiling. He then walked over towards Siesta and stood behind her, his hand caressing her shoulder as he did. She grimaced at his touch but stayed in place.

"Yes sir." Siesta muttered obediently, though inside she was completely terrified. _"Please stop."_

"You know I didn't just hire you for household chores my dear Siesta," Mott whispered as he leaned close to her ear.

 _"Please stop…"_

"A woman of your beauty deserves to be treated with such a gentle care and compassion that that old school won't show you."

Siesta's body shook. "S-Sir I-"

"Shhh," Mott grinned as he placed his hands on her shoulders and leaned even closer. "It's alright. I promise you'll enjoy it."

Siesta's eyes clenched tight as she whimpered in fear.

 _"Shark-san..."_

Before things could escalate any further a loud knocking at the door broke the tension.

"Excuse me my lord!" A voice called from behind the door. Mott's expression turned sour as he released Siesta, who let out a quiet breath of relief.

"What is it? I specifically recall asking not to be disturbed this evening did I not?" Mott demanded annoyed at the interruption.

"Apologies sir, but there is someone here to see you. He claims to be from the academy."

Siesta's eyes widened in shock while Mott gained a confused look. "The academy? What in Brimir's name is a messenger doing here so late?"

As the count turned and left to meet this messenger, Siesta placed a hand over her racing heart, for some reason feeling as if she knew _exactly_ who it was.

 _"It couldn't be…?"_

* * *

It didn't take Ryoga long to find the mansion thanks to the Guiche's directions and the flying power of Big Jaws, which he was very grateful for as the place would have been an hour long run by foot. The manor itself was quite large and not half bad to look at if it wasn't for whom it belonged too, and although anybody could have easily spotted it on the road it still made the Duelist grateful for Guiche's help. The guards were suspicious upon seeing him but a little fib about being a messenger from Osmond quickly got him inside without further trouble, though Ryoga knew the old man wouldn't be happy if he discovered his name being used like this.

The water user had actually considered going to Osmond or Colbert first for information but quickly rejected the notion, as he had a feeling the two men either wouldn't tell him or would try to prevent him from going, most likely out of concern over the amount of problems it would cause. Which given Ryoga's current state of mind was probably justified. But he still needed to find someone to tell him where this Mott guy lived, and he damn well wasn't going to ask Louise since he knew exactly what she'd do if she found out. And since he had absolutely no intention of going to Kirche of all people for aid, that just left Guiche, as despite the playboy's idiocy he was still a noble with connections and was the best chance of finding Mott's home.

Luckily he was correct as the earth mage proved to be very informative over the exact location of the count's mansion. When Guiche asked why Ryoga wanted to meet the count, the Duelist simply said he had business to discuss with the man and tried to leave it at that. Yet much to his surprise Guiche actually became serious and warned Ryoga to be careful around Mott. As it turned out, the blonde also had a massive dislike of the royal messenger similar to Louise, though in his case it was solely because of the rumors surrounding the man's treatment and forced actions on women.

When questioned how the blonde could feel that way when he had done similar with Katie and Montmorency, Guiche actually looked insulted by the comment. He defended that unlike Count Mott who was said to simply use women for their bodies in such dishonorable ways, that he loved women as a whole, and wanted to simply please them to their hearts contents and share his love to them all. That he would never force them to do something they didn't want and that anybody who did such was neither a true man nor noble, hence why he and his family despised the count despite there being no proof to his actions. Ryoga was both amazed and slightly impressed by the playboy's attitude, as despite his previous actions the guy seemed to actually have a moral sense of right and wrong, and so gained a fragment of respect from the former Barian because of it.

That respect was lost a moment later when Montmorency got angry over Guiche's words about other females and promptly beat the hell out of him.

Now standing in the middle of the mansion's foyer Ryoga waited for Mott to appear while he tried to figure out how to best handle the situation. He was never one for civility when it came to matters like this, and while in his world the issues were usually settled through Dueling and a headstrong attitude, this world was different, and he knew he couldn't just go beating down every problem like he used too.

Well okay maybe he could, but he didn't know what the consequences would be, especially since being tied to Louise as her "familiar" meant that anything he did would be reflected back on her if word got out about his actions. Not that he intended to let the count know about his ties to Louise, but he still didn't want the pink-haired girl to get into trouble because of something he did, or worse have her get even more pissed at him for doing something stupid. Though to be fair that would probably happen anyways since he hadn't exactly told the chibi about this little rescue operation.

Oops.

Still it was very hard to picture this situation being solved civilly since Ryoga was barely restraining himself from just destroying the whole manor and going after Mott directly. It also didn't help with knowing that despite the count's actions nobody cared for or was doing do a damn thing about it. Even Louise wouldn't do anything, which only served to infuriate him more since he expected better of her!

Who the fuck cared if there was no evidence!? Looking down upon an action does not stop the action if everyone just fucking ignores it! The fact it was even happening despite this knowledge riled the former Barian even further about the nobles of this world. And while he knew there was very little he could about it as a whole, he wasn't going to just sit by and watch someone he knew and had grown to respect be treated in such a manner.

Especially someone like Siesta. He would not let Mott touch or hurt her like Elena had been. And if the count had already done so then kami or whatever gods existed in this world better prepare a fucking cleanup crew for the mess he was going to make. Because there would be nothing recognizable about the count when he was done.

"So, you're the one from the Academy then?"

Ryoga spun around and fixed his sights on the figure of Count Mott, the man walking down the steps of his manor with a large wooden staff in hand. A spike of rage coursed through the Duelist before he quickly silenced it. It wouldn't do well to do something irrational so soon. Instead he'd try to handle this as best as possible _before_ he went stupid.

"I am," Ryoga acknowledged as calmly as he could. "My name is-"

"I could care less for your name commoner," Mott rudely interrupted.

Well this was starting out _so_ well already.

"Tell me what brings you here at such a late hour and then begone. I don't have time to waste with such small trifles," Mott ordered with a hard and annoyed tone as he finally reached ground level.

" _Don't go stupid yet. Don't go stupid yet. Don't go stupid yet,"_ Ryoga's fist clenched as he repeated the mantra in his head. It was actually one he had developed for Yuma every time the idiot planned to do something, well, stupid. To think he would actually be using it on himself to stay focused. "It has recently come to attention that you have purchased a servant girl to work for you from the academy. She goes by the name of Siesta."

The count's brow rose curiously. "What of it?"

"I would like to request that you release hold over the young maid and allow her to continue her work at the academy," Ryoga said with as much discipline as he could.

Mott let out a loud scoff of disbelief. "You must be joking? I was interrupted for something like this? The nerve of commoners these days," he pointed to the door. "Begone commoner! Be thankful I even bothered with this little charade seeing as you've wasted my precious time."

"Sir," Ryoga growled out. "I humbly request you hear what I have to say."

"I do not mince words boy nor do I like repeating myself. But if you insist on being stubborn then allow me to spell it out for you," Mott's lips broke into a vile smirk. "Siesta is now an official servant of the Mott household. Meaning _I_ as her master decide whether she goes or not. And I can assure you I have no intention of letting her go for quite some time."

"You mean so you can abuse your title and power on an innocent girl?" Ryoga spat out.

"Excuse me?" Mott's eyes gave off a dangerous glare.

Ryoga didn't even flinch at the sight and stared right back. It hadn't been five minutes and already he could tell there would be little to no negotiation with this man. He had dealt with men like Mott all the time as a king and knew that they all had sticks shoved up their asses even further than any of the students back at the academy, and that in itself was more than enough for him to call this attempt at peace a waste of time, especially given his current attitude towards the situation.

If this had been him in his first life then Durbe or Rio would have probably been there to calm him down. To help try and settle this problem rationally and find a way to negotiate with the man before him so that everyone could come out of this without bloodshed. And he would have probably listened to them as well. However they weren't here, and Ryoga was always someone who followed his instincts and emotions rather than logical. Meaning now it was time to do things the fun way.

Or as he had recently worded it, time to go stupid.

"I've heard all about the rumors surrounding you, 'Count'. How you take women into your servitude and use them to satisfy your own desires and pleasures." Ryoga spoke with a completely even tone as his hands moved into his pockets. "The fact a person like you has the title of 'noble' is truly sickening and undeserving."

"How dare you! Do you even realize who you're talking to commoner!?" Mott shouted angrily.

"Oh I know exactly who I'm talking too. A Grade-A pervert who abuses his power to take women under his house because he can't get some by normal means," Ryoga gave a snicker of amusement. "Kinda pathetic don't you think?"

"Arrest this fool and get him out of my house!" Count Mott ordered to his two guards. The men drew their spears and charged at Ryoga, an act that simply made the teen smirk.

As the first guard thrust his weapon forward Ryoga's left arm speedily withdrew from his pocket and knocked the spear to the side with the equipped Duel Disk, catching the man by surprise. He didn't get the chance to react as a powerful kick collided into his face and sent him hurdling to the ground, his mind having shut down from the impact. The second guard looked on in shock and prepared to avenge his comrade but was surprised when a pair of blue eyes appeared in his vision before he felt a heavy blow to the unarmored part of his torso. The man lost consciousness a moment later as Ryoga removed his fist and let the guard collapse onto the floor.

Count Mott stared in shock at the defeat of his two guards while Ryoga simply straightened himself.

"Now then, as I was saying…" Ryoga placed his D-Gazer on and drew Derflinger from the sheath, his eyes no longer joking and becoming hard as stone as he pointed the blade to Mott. "Let Siesta go before I'm forced to kick your ass."

Mott's shock quickly dissolved into amusement. "Oh? You dare to draw your blade on me?"

Ryoga didn't say anything and kept his eyes fixed on the man. This just made the count chuckle.

"You probably don't know this as you are a mere boy, but when a commoner draws a weapon against a noble in their home that noble has the right to execute the person on the spot," Mott lifted his staff up and pointed it at Ryoga. "I've met many worthless commoners in my lifetime, but never have I seen one as foolish as you before!"

"Yeah well I'm not exactly 'normal'," Ryoga stated, never taking his gaze off his target.

"Clearly," the count's grin just grew larger. "Since you're going to die tonight I shall give you the courtesy of knowing just who your executioner is. My title is Mott of the Wave, and I am a Triangle-class mage!"

With those words Count Mott waved his staff to a vase on a nearby table. The vase shook before falling over and making the water spill out of it, only for the water to suddenly rise high into the air like a geyser.

"Which means I can do this!" Mott swung his staff forward causing the water to suddenly shot towards Ryoga at high speeds. The Duelist instantly reacted and jumped to the side dodging the attack. The count was surprised by this, not having expected a commoner to be capable of such action, then growled and swung his staff again as the water redirected itself and gave chase.

Ryoga's eyes narrowed as he leapt back and dodged another strike, only for the water to continue following and attack again. He quickly ducked underneath the wave and rolled forward just as the water changed course to try and catch him off guard. Bringing up Derflinger he quickly got to his feet and spun around before slicing down with the blade, splitting the attack that charged at him in two. He didn't relax though and leaned to the side as the split waves circled around and combined again to try and hit him from behind.

This dance continued as the Mott continuously directed the body of water to attack Ryoga, but the Duelist calmly watched the movement of the magic being used, it's every edge and flow, and maneuvered himself to either dodge or jump away from the strikes as they kept coming. Eventually it got to the point where he just seemed to be having fun and let the attacks just barley miss him, as if he was just toying with the fight.

"Oy geezer, is this the best you got? Cause I'm getting bored," Ryoga gloated as he dodged yet another attack, all the while his face remained completely calm and focused.

The same couldn't be said for the count though, who just looked confused and angry. This shouldn't have been possible! The boy was just a filthy commoner! He shouldn't be able to do this!

"You're quite the little fly aren't you? Buzzing around and being a pain to get rid of!" Mott yelled as he lifted his staff up. "Well let's see how you handle this!" He slammed the staff to the floor causing the wave of water to suddenly freeze solid and transform into several sharp ice swords.

Ryoga quietly cursed at the sight as the ice swords flew at him. Lifting up Derflinger and his Duel Disk he quickly began defending against the attacks as they swung and flew at him from all directions. He parried and shattered several blades with Derf's own edged body, showing that despite their magical nature the swords were easily fragile, while his Disk served to block and knock aside the attacks that got through. But every blade that he broke only seemed to regenerate a moment later and charge again, forming a near endless stream of attacks. The sight of which made Mott grin, believing he had the boy trapped and that the fight was his.

Or at least that was what was supposed to happen. Instead despite being outnumbered the former king didn't seem to slow down or falter, and in fact looked to be picking up speed as he continuously dodged and blocked every single strike from the ice blades, making the count's jaw drop in disbelief.

Just what kind of commoner was this? How could he move in such a way and not even be touched by the noble's magic? It was impossible!

While Mott was stumbling trying understand what was happening, Ryoga just continued to deflect the attacks with a wide grin. His constant training with Deflinger was starting to pay off. His body and reflexes were readjusting to his past level of skill, and he could feel his movements were much lighter and easier than during his Duel with Guiche. It also meant that he was able to read the speed and movement of his opponent's power and attacks, which while strong and powerful were still too slow for someone at his level, allowing him to easily predict where the next strike would come from and counter it accordingly.

It also helped that the man had the absolute worst element to fight Ryoga with, a thought that made the shark Duelist almost chuckle.

Mott growled and swung his staff again making the ice swords form around Ryoga in a circle and returned to their liquid state. They then erupted into several large spinning pillars of water and moved towards each other to crush the boy. Ryoga didn't allow himself to hesitate and pushed off his feet as hard as he could, jumping forward between the two pillars in front of him and breaking through their small opening just before the water closed behind him. That wasn't the end though as Mott lifted his staff and began channeling even more magic, causing the pillars to combine together into one large spiraling surge of water, the top of which bent down and took the shape of a wolf's head.

"I've had enough games!" Count Mott declared, bringing his staff down and sending the spiraling pillar lunging at Ryoga, this time its' size and ferocity preventing any form of escaping as it intended to completely engulf the Duelist in its' fury.

Yet as the torrent of raging water rushed towards him Ryoga didn't make a move to run. He just stood perfectly in place as the attack came rushing towards him and calmly drew a card from his deck. The attack collided a moment later and exploded into a large and powerful burst of water and mist that shook the mansion and rained all over the foyer. The marble flooring was ripped at the point of impact, and there was no sign of Ryoga anywhere through the mist, a sight that made Mott's lips break into a smug grin as he laughed hysterically.

"Do you see now _boy_!?" Mott mocked. "This is the price you pay for defying someone like me! You are nothing to a noble! A nameless peasant like you is nothing but an insignificant-"

"I have a name."

The count's laughter halted, his eyes wide with disbelief as the mist and shower parted to reveal the purple-clad teen standing in the exact same spot as before.

Completely unscathed.

"I-Impossible," the count stuttered. "How?"

"My _name_ is Kamishiro Ryoga. And I'm no commoner," Ryoga held up his Duel Disk with a fierce and prideful glare. "I am a Duelist!"

"D-Duelist?" Mott repeated confused. It was then he noticed a large green object floating in front of Ryoga. "W-What is that?"

"Continuous Magic, Sea God's Amulet," Ryoga said as the green-colored card glowed beside him, its' art showing a round pendant with a trident like top and the face of the sea god Poseidon on it. "While this card on the field you cannot target my WATER attribute monsters with card effects until the End Phase. At least that's what it normally does, but in this case it prevents your water magic from touching me."

"What!?" Mott cried out.

"I admit I didn't know how the effect would work if I used it in a real fight as I had nobody to help me test it out," Ryoga watched the card fade away and smiled. "But you proved to be a perfect dummy for me to try it out on. I suppose I should thank you for that. But now…" his eyes became fierce once more. "It's my turn."

"Y-You! Just die damn you!" Mott screamed as he summoned the water wolf again, the creation roaring furiously and charging at the purple-clad teen once more.

Ryoga just chuckled. "Didn't even bother to check my set card," he said as his hand flashed over the Duel Disk. "Trap Card activate! Zeus's Breath!"

This time a large purple-coated card formed in front of Ryoga, a picture of surging water and wind being directed by a shadowy figure being displayed on it.

"What!?" Mott shouted unable to comprehend what was happening.

Suddenly a large shadowed figure wielding a golden scepter rose from behind Ryoga, its' appearance similar to that of the Trap Card's. It swung the scepter towards the count's attack as the card glowed and unleashed a powerful and massive torrent of wind and water from it. The two forces fiercely impacted each other and fought for dominance, making the entire mansion shake from the struggle, but after a moment the power of the Trap Card overcame the count's magic and engulfed the water wolf, consuming it into a ferocious storm that was then sent hurdling straight towards Mott.

"Impossible!" Mott screamed as the elements knocked him off his feet and into the air before crashing him hard onto the marble floor. A gasp of pain escaped his mouth as he shakily pushed himself up and tried to wipe away the water that was blinding his vision.

Because of this he didn't see the swing of a sword come down upon him, cleaving the noble's staff in half and slicing clean across his chest.

"GAH!"

Mott cried and stumbled back as he clutched at his now burning chest. Lifting his hands up his face filled with horror at the sight of blood coating his palms. Before he could react a heavy foot slammed into the wound, causing him to scream in agony as his body was sent hurdling back onto the floor in pain. Holding his arms over the wound the noble gasped and rolled on the ground frantically, only to freeze at the feeling of cold steel against his throat.

"It's over."

Mott looked up fearfully and saw Ryoga crouched over him, his rusted sword held right against the noble's neck. All the while the boy's eyes were completely frigid like ice, causing the man to shake as they bore right into his own.

"Haha! You got him scared shitless partner!" Derflinger suddenly spoke, making the count nearly wet himself in alarm. "He's got quite the hilarious face going on right now! Man I wish I could frame it or something!"

Ryoga's fierce demeanor broke for a moment only to be replaced with annoyance. "Didn't I tell you to stay silent?" he said to the sword.

"Oh come on! How can you expect me to not say a thing when we're in the middle of something awesome like this!" Derf complained. "I had so many jokes planned! So many insults! Witty one-liners! And I didn't even get the chance to use them because you wanted me to keep quiet! Do you know how hard that is for someone like me after sleeping for so long? I need something to keep myself amused!"

Ryoga's brow twitched as he resisted the urge to smack himself.

"H…How?" Mott whimpered, his mind consumed with fear and incomprehension by everything that transpired, as well as hearing a sword suddenly start talking as if alive.

"I don't have to tell you anything. Especially since at the moment you're the one being held to my mercy," Ryoga replied coldly.

"Yeah buddy! Don't think my partner here won't slice and dice you up just cause you're a noble! Heck he'd probably take pleasure in doing such since he hates you guys anyways!" Derf added with a sound of glee.

Ryoga's brow twitched again. "Derf."

"Yeah partner?"

Ryoga smacked the sword hard against the ground. "Shut up."

"Gah! Dammit what was that for!? That hurts when you're not swinging me right you know! I may be just a sword but I still-" Ryoga raised the blade again. "Shutting up now."

Ryoga nodded and turned back to Mott. "Now then…"

The count cried again as he was lifted off the ground and slammed onto the stairway. His body twitching in pain he looked up to his assailant only to feel absolute terror when the tip of Derflinger's blade was pointed directly at his eye, while a pair of vicious predator-like orbs stared down at him.

"Let's talk."

* * *

Siesta rubbed her arms nervously. She had been waiting in the same room ever since Count Mott left and had not dared to leave for fear of invoking his temper. Yet she couldn't stand the silence either as the atmosphere was so tense you cut it clean with a kitchen knife.

Having heard the strange noises down below and feeling the small earthquake that occurred mere moments ago, the young maid was greatly concerned as to what was happening. She wanted to go out and see for herself but knew that doing so would get her in trouble. Plus if the earthquake and noises were anything to go by then it would be best if she stayed just in case whatever was going on was dangerous. She didn't want to end up getting killed just because she got too curious. However the noises died out not long ago leaving nothing but a tense and nerve tingling silence for the past few minutes, making her wonder what exactly everything before was all about.

The silence was broken when the sound of a door opening caught Siesta's attention, which for her signaled the count's return.

Shaking in fear the raven-haired beauty knew what was going to happen to her now. She wasn't ready for this. She didn't want it to happen this way. But knowing she had no other choice but to do as she was told, she stood from her chair and shut her eyes as she turned and bowed in the direction of the door.

"Welcome back master. Was everything alright?" Siesta greeted like she was supposed to and awaited the foul voice of the man.

"...What the fuck are you wearing?"

The voice she heard however was not the count's, and caused Siesta's eyes to shoot open as her head snapped up in shock. And upon seeing who was before her, the girl's breath hitched and her heart nearly came to a stop.

"S…Shark-san?" Siesta whispered shakily.

The Duelist continued to stare at Siesta's outfit, wondering briefly if he should return downstairs and beat the count some more, before ultimately shaking his head. "Know what, I don't even want to know. Stupid perverted bastard," Ryoga mumbled before looking back up. "Are you alri-"

Ryoga nearly fell back as Siesta suddenly threw herself against him, her arms wrapping tightly around his back while her head buried itself into his shoulder due to his size. The water user was completely caught off guard by the sudden and unexpected contact and found himself lost on what to do.

"Uh…Siesta?" Ryoga called out confused, only to feel the maid tremble against him.

"This is real..." Siesta muttered quietly into his shirt. "This…this is real right? This isn't some dream…you're really here…" her grip tightened. "You're really here… right Shark-san?"

Ryoga's gaze softened as he gently held the back of Siesta's head and nodded. "Yeah. I'm here."

The girl said nothing else as tears fell from her eyes.

* * *

After getting over the initial shock that she was free and gathering her things, Siesta and Ryoga both made their way out of Count Mott's manor. While confused as to why she didn't see any guards or the count himself Siesta didn't complain about it, as she hoped to never see that wicked man again. The two of them then took flight on the back of Big Jaws and returned to the academy not long after, the spirit dropping them off in the middle of one of the courtyards.

"Welcome home Siesta. Hope the flight wasn't too rough," Ryoga said as he helped Siesta down from Big Jaws back.

"Oh no, it was perfectly fine. Big Jaws was very gentle, weren't you big guy?" Siesta said sweetly to the giant fish, which made the Duel Monster's lips seem to almost curl into a smile.

While afraid at first of seeing the summon up close and personal Ryoga quickly reassured her that Big Jaws wouldn't hurt her. What neither expected however was for the fish spirit to suddenly start sniffing the maid's hair or nuzzling her like a dog. This especially surprised Ryoga, as despite knowing that each of his Duel Monsters were living creatures and had their own personalities he didn't expect anything like this from one of his favorites, let alone the killer shark that could easily swallow a person whole. He had a feeling the power of Chaos was involved in this somehow, though he had no clue how. Still Siesta found the action adorable and quickly got over her fear of the Duel Monster, even beginning to treat it like a giant pet.

A pet that could devour anything and had a vicious set of razor sharp teeth, but a pet nonetheless.

As Big Jaws faded from reality Siesta looked up at the academy towers and smiled. "I still can't believe I'm really back. It feels like I just woke up from a horrible dream."

"It wasn't a dream. It was a nightmare," Ryoga said with a hard expression before it lightened up and he gave his own smile. "But it's over now. And you won't ever have to worry about that bastard Mott again, I promise."

He had made _extremely_ sure of that.

Siesta nodded and turned to him. "I still can't believe you did all that for me. Even knowing what could happen you still…" she looked down as a blush filled her cheeks. "You came and saved me."

"Of course I did. We're friends remember?" Ryoga said, making Siesta look up surprised before a warm smile graced her face. "Just don't thank me for it please. I've gotten enough of those these past few days and it's still fucking weird to hear," his face showed slight annoyance at the thought of being thanked yet again. He just wasn't for that sort of thing.

Siesta giggled. "That's just like you Shark-san. You try to hide it, but you're really a humble person aren't you?" Ryoga just looked away and grunted, though Siesta could see a small tiny of red on his cheeks which only made her giggle more. Her own cheeks then reddened further as she bowed to him. "Even still…thank you so much Shark-san. You did the impossible once again, and this time saved me from a fate worse than death. You really are an amazing person."

Ryoga let out a small huff. "Like I said you don't have to-"

His words left him and his body froze in place as a pair of soft and warm lips pressed against his cheek.

After a few seconds Siesta pulled back and looked at Ryoga with a beautiful smile and burning red face. "Thank you Shark-san. I'll never forget this."

Siesta then turned and ran to the servant's quarters, leaving behind a cemented Kamishiro Ryoga. His eyes were wide, his jaw slightly hung, and his mind was silent as he just stared in the direction of the maid while trying to process what just happened. His hand then seemed to move on its' own as it lifted up and touched the same cheek that had been kissed.

Still warm.

"Oh hoh, looks like you've managed to get it on well with that one partner," Derflinger said teasingly.

Ryoga broke from his trance with burning red cheeks and sent a dangerous glare to the sword. "Shut up!"

"What? Don't tell me you're embarrassed? I mean come on! A cute girl like that giving you _that_ sort of thanks for saving her from a cruel fate? There's clearly something there buddy," the sword kept going.

"I said shut up!"

"Oh come on man, you're overreacting to this. I mean it's not like you've never been kissed by a girl before right?"

Ryoga flinched and turned even redder.

"HOLY SHIT YOU HAVEN'T!?"

"SHUT UP DAMMIT!"

Ryoga grabbed Derf and rapidly smacked him against the ground several times, all while the sword continued teasing his partner relentlessly. And so once more peace settled over the events of the day, as everything seemed to return to normal. Though for some reason in the back of his head Ryoga felt as if he was forgetting something very important.

"RYOGA!"

The Duelist froze. Slowly turning around Ryoga paled upon the sight of Louise standing behind him. With a very scary and pissed of expression.

"…Ah shit."

* * *

 **Hey guys, good to see you all again with another wonderful chapter of Barian of the Void!...I'd say that if this chapter WASN'T SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS!**

 **God let me tell you this chapter, well it and the future chapter I was writing out, were becoming impossible to work with! I kept rewriting, adding and removing material, and coming up with new ideas and it was taking forever! My head hurts from thinking about it. T.T (Thankfully listening to some sweet ass Kamen Rider music helped)**

 **I finally managed to finish it only recently and let me tell you it is a relief! I think I'm gonna take a few days away from the writing just to relax before I work on next chapter. Also since my schedule changes starting Monday I need to get used to the new hours (again) and adjust my writing time based on that, so no idea when next chapter will be unfortunately. But rest assured I will still be working on it and look forward to getting it up hopefully soon.**

 **Also for those of you wondering, YES I am going to be using the translated Japanese Names instead of the English ones. Because, and no offense to any TCG players as I respect them as much as the OCG...but the TCG names usually SUCK! Example *points to to Numbers 39: King of Wishes, Hope becoming Utopia.* or *Points to Jeweled Demon Dragon - Red Daemon becoming HOT Red Dragon Archfiend.* OR my PERSONAL favorites *Lightlords, Infernoids, Qliphort, Sephira, Entermates and almost every other archetype with a cool name that was changed!***

 **...Yeah. Also will be using the anime effects incase anybody is wondering, which is why Ryoga said Sea God's Amulet lasted till the End Phase. Cause in the anime the cards effects only lasted until the turn was over. And the reason for the anime effects as well is that not only were some of them better than real cards (Aero Shark) but I can have a lot more fun and interesting ideas with them.**

 **So in other news...*clears throat and grins* I GOT 50 REVIEWS NOW! YAAAAAAAAY! :D**

 **It didn't even occur to me until recently that I was so close to 50 reviews for my story! I'm so happy for the support and ideas guys! Thank you so much. And now that I'm almost at 50 favorites as well so here's hoping I get that soon!**

 **I want to try and do something special to celebrate but I got no idea what! Which is why I want to hear YOUR opinions on any ideas you guys have in mind! Whether it be bonus content or whatever, let me know a good way to celebrate the 50 reviews properly for my next chapter!**

 **Now onto the reviews themselves!**

 **Guest: Thanks for the support. As for the Numbers, like I said Ryoga doesn't have them since they were all given to Astral and Yuma before he died. Now I haven't decided whether to use them or make them appear later on, but we'll see. And sadly no Xyz summon just yet...but keep in store because soon...**

 **duskrider: Thank you for the support, and I'm glad you like the little interactions between characters. I hope I'm keeping Ryoga in character enough for everybody. It's sometimes hard to read the guy or tell what he'd do because...well it's Ryoga -.- Also I hope you definitely enjoyed him kicking the, quote, "'Noble' Booty", unquote, in this chapter along with that little end bit between Siesta and Ryoga! It was SO satisfying to write :D**

 **Also...THANK YOU FOR BEING MY 50TH REVIEW! \^.^/**

 **Touhou is Life: Hello friend, good to hear from ya! Thank you for pointing out to me I had hit 50 by the way, as I didn't notice till you said it, and believe me I cheered when I did. As to your question, in the show it was never actually implied that the owner KNEW Derf was alive. In fact last I recall Derf was asleep when Louise and Kirche were arguing, and he didn't know where he was or what year it was. Chances were he was in a hibernative state until he awoke because of Saito's connection as Gandalfr, meaning the owner never knew, which is what I stuck by. Though in this case it was the power of Chaos that woke him up. But Why? o.o...**

 **Sekishiki: Hello once more friend. I always look forward to your reviews :) Now you bring up a good point, as Derf can only be used to his full potential in the hands of a Gandalfr. In fact it was for that reason his original rusty look turned into the gold and silver look we know him by. So how can that play out when he's in the hands of someone who isn't bound by the familiar contract and may not even be a Gandalfr? Hehe, well I'll let you guys think on that.**

 **Also I have thought about several ideas for Cat Shark's appearance...and I know EXACTLY what I'm going to do *grins widely*. I do like your idea though and may implement some of it into the idea I'm working on. I'll just have to figure out what pieces. Though I have to mention this...did you realize Cat Shark is the same size if not bigger than Ryoga? No? Yes? Cause I DIDN'T! It was surprising to discover when I looked at the chapter where he appeared and compared his size to Luna's! But I can still see some fun with it as well.**

 **And yes, I will totally be doing a scene between Ryoga, Cat Shark, and Sylphid in the future and it will be GLORIOUS! HAHAHAHAHAHA! xD**

 **SonicFan112: Hello new friend! Hope you're enjoying the story and liked this chapter. As for your idea...it's certainly an interesting one I hadn't considered. Least not in the way you mentioned about Yuma. I'll definitely be thinking it over, as it could have some potential for the future, so thanks!**

 **And finally Mickhe11. Greeting's new friend! I'm glad you've decided to also follow my story and hope you enjoyed the latest chapter! As for your question, I can't give away too much due to spoilers but I definitely have some ideas and plans for the Bariarphose and form to come into play.**

 **Well that's that! Like I said I don't know how long it'll take me to work on next chapter until I adjust to the new schedule and rewrite some stuff, but I hope you all enjoyed this one and have a nice day! And if you've followed the anime (which I have too because there's NOWHERE TO READ THE LIGHT NOVELS...*cough*...) you'll know the next event in store!**

 **Also question to everyone...what kind of sounds does a Cat Shark make exactly o.o?**

 **Anyways that's it. All's said and done.**

 **And for the next chapter...ladies and gentlemen...*clicks X button on remote controller***

 **"A NEW CHALLENGER APPROACHES!"(Kind of)**

 **Till then, take care everyone :D**

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	16. A New Friend! Come Forth, Cat Shark!

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works

* * *

It had been over a week since the event with Count Mott and since then things at the academy had been rather peaceful. Siesta was allowed to return to her old job thanks to Osmond, who was told the full situation by Ryoga, and was happily welcomed back by her fellow co-workers. She and Ryoga also started hanging out a lot more, keeping true to their promise of finding whatever time they had available to just talk and enjoy each other's company without worry of the nobles or anything else.

It wasn't all perfect though, as Louise was still very livid over Ryoga's actions. Bad enough he just disappeared without a word after their conversation, causing her a great amount of stress and worry, but to then discover he had traveled to Count Mott's manor, threatened the noble, and then assaulted the man in his very home!? Such actions were punishable by death! Yet Ryoga didn't seem to care so long as he saved Siesta, which while admirable to some degree, was completely stupid and reckless! The worst part was that Louise wouldn't have even known about his departure had Guiche not accidentally spilled the beans, and upon Ryoga's return she made it very clear just how furious she was for his idiocy and foolishness.

Since then Louise had made sure to keep an extremely close eye on her "familiar" and refused to let him anywhere out of her sight. Even when he went to spend time with Siesta the pinkette eventually hunted him down and dragged him off. She was so mad that she even prevented him from receiving any lunches or dinners from the servants as a form of punishment, though Ryoga didn't simply let himself starve and swiped small bits of food from the other nobles when they or Louise weren't looking. They weren't full meals but they were better than nothing.

Despite her frustration, Louise was actually letting Ryoga off much more than he probably deserved. One reason for this was that despite his stupidity the Duelist was still, much to Louise's displeasure, not bound by the familiar contract. He may have played the part for the public but he was still in no way compelled to listen or obey her, and was technically free to do whatever he wished. Though based on his attitude and actions that probably wouldn't have changed even if he were bound. Either way it meant that even if Louise was completely against his actions, like she was with the count, she couldn't do anything about it unless she wanted to risk angering him, which was in fact another reason she hadn't delivered a harsher punishment.

Even before Ryoga's unexpected appearance the pink-haired noble had already planned out hundreds of ways to treat whatever familiar she received, including several forms of punishment and disciplinary techniques incase her familiar did something wrong. But while such an idea might have worked with a regular familiar, it wasn't the same thing for a human. Especially one that was free to do as he wished. If she were to physically strike Ryoga, she knew he could, and probably would, defend himself without any hesitation or fear of the consequences. She might have blown him up once before when she was angry, but he had been caught of guard and didn't know she could do such a thing. Chances were he wouldn't give her the opportunity to do so again, and knowing full well what Ryoga could do with his "Duel Monsters" cards Louise wasn't willing to risk having them directed at her the same way they were on Guiche.

Yet even through all the anger and fear Louise felt, there was one major reason, although she would never admit it, that she wasn't being as hard on Ryoga as she should have, and that was due to how proud she was of him. Count Mott was a disgusting pig that many nobles had wanted to teach a lesson too for some time now, her own family included, but due to his status and lack of proof of his actions the man was untouchable. The fact that the count had gotten his royal butt handed to him by her "familiar" no less was something that brought great joy to Louise, even with the ramifications such actions could bring. Ryoga reassured her though that he hadn't revealed anything about his connection to the noble girl, meaning any risk to her family name or her was in the clear unless Mott decided to personally come to the academy and find the boy himself. And since there had been no appearance of the royal messenger since that night, which Ryoga claimed with certainty would never happen, it was safe to assume she had nothing to worry about.

So despite his idiotic recklessness Louise decided to let Ryoga off easy this time and simply restrict his meals. Hence the reason the two were currently siting together in the dinning hall, with the pinkette eating a large and exquisitely cooked dinner while the Duelist got nothing.

"You know there's a word for people like you right?" Ryoga said while he ignored the cries of his stomach.

"Be quiet. I'm trying to enjoy my meal," Louise responded.

"It deals with those who are given far too much and overindulge in things because they think they have the privilege of it," Ryoga continued anyways. "Like how you always get such large amount of food that you don't even fully eat just because you're a noble."

"I said quiet," Louise's brow twitched in annoyance.

"What's it called again? It's on the tip of my tongue."

"You-"

"Oh yes I remember now. Spoiled."

Louise's palms slammed on the table. "If you're going to say something then quit causing a disturbance and say it already!" She glowered at him annoyed.

"Says the one yelling," Ryoga scoffed back. "And if I'm a disturbance it's only because I'm being forced to sit here and watch a bunch of brats eat meals fit for entire families while my stomach is growling like a damn Red-Eyes."

"And just whose fault do you think that is huh!?"

"I don't know _master_. Why don't you tell me!?"

Sparks seemed to fly from their eyes as the other students and servants watched from a distance. Seeing Louise and Ryoga arguing was nothing unusual, in fact it had become a common occurrence and source of entertainment at the academy since the familiar's rebellious nature was on par with the Zero's temper. Lately though it was becoming more of an annoyance since Louise started dragging the boy into the dining hall during meals, which caused a large amount of tension between them and usually led to fights that disturbed everyone's meals. But since nobody had the balls to approach the duo they all kept their distance and said nothing.

Well all save one.

"Ara ara, are you two at it again? Honestly, could you stop causing darling so much trouble Zero Louise?" Kirche said as she approached the two while dragging a large food cart behind her.

"Master" and "servant" turned towards the redhead, with Louise growling in disdain. "What do you want Zerbst?"

"Who me? Nothing much, I just came over to check on Ryoga darling is all. As well as deliver him a proper meal seeing as you've been so cruel these past few days by denying him anything to eat," Kirche motioned to the cart beside her. Ryoga and Louise looked over and felt their eyes widen at the sight. A bowl of hot soup, rare rib eye steak, mashed potatoes and vegetables, a slice of chocolate cake, and that was just the tip of what the Germanian had brought with her. And dammit it all if it didn't smell divine right now.

If it wasn't for Kirche being the one who brought it, Ryoga might have felt grateful. But seeing as it _was_ her, he instead chose to push down the feeling and try to ignore giving into the temptation before him.

The grumbling in his body showed how much it disagreed. _"Traitor,"_ Ryoga thought sending a glare to his stomach.

"How I treat my familiar isn't your concern. And don't just go about feeding other people's familiars without permission!" Louise shouted.

"Now now, don't be mad just because I make a better master than you," Kirche teased, making the pinkette visibly bristle. "Besides I personally find his actions quite heroic. A lonely familiar, going out into the dead of night, to rescue a fair damsel from a corrupt noble. It makes my heart burn like a phoenix's flame for you my love," she lost herself in the fantasy before giving a pout to Ryoga. "Though I didn't expect your type to be young maidens darling. It seems a bit _soft_ for someone of your bite."

Ryoga blushed at bit at the implication and looked away. Maybe if he ignored the succubus long enough she'd just leave.

"I decide his punishment Kirche, not you. Besides you're just trying to capture his heart through food now aren't you?" Louise accused.

"Who knows?" Kirche shrugged. "But I think darling wouldn't mind if I did so seeing as I would treat him far better than you. Right Ryoga?"

"I think I'd prefer being blown up thanks," the Duelist replied, making Louise turn red and frown in embarrassment. Did he really need to bring that subject up again?

"So cruel darling. But that's just part of your charm that I love so much," Kirche complimented with a loving sigh and hand over her heart. "It makes me even more excited to see what you'll do for the exhibition. Ah, just thinking about it gets me all warm and excited. It'll truly be a sight to see you perform."

Her words did not have the expected effect though, as Louise visibly flinched with wide eyes while a look of confusion appeared from Ryoga. "Exhibition? What are you talking about?"

Kirche blinked surprised. "Wait, you mean you don't know? Didn't Louise tell you?" The redhead looked to her rival confused. Upon seeing Louise's expression though her lips broke into a wide grin. "Oh hoh? Don't tell me you actually forgot about the exhibition Louise?"

"O-Of course not! I-It just slipped my mind because of how much I've been punishing my disobedient familiar is all!" Louise exclaimed with a stutter. Ryoga facepalmed at the terrible lying skills while Kirche laughed and crossed her arms over her bust.

"Wow Louise, that's a new level of bad even for you. I mean how can you forget something as important as the exhibition, especially considering who's supposed to be showing up for it?" Her words caused Louise to freeze up and pale, something Ryoga took notice of. "Still, I suppose even you can come up with something in two days time if darling's with you. Just make sure it's entertaining enough for us to laugh at when it blows up again," Kirche ignored the glare sent her way and smiled innocently. "Well I best take my leave then. After all you'll need all the time you can get if you don't want to make a fool of yourself. Take care darling! Can't wait to see what you do at the exhibition!"

Kirche blew a kiss to Ryoga before walking away and leaving the duo to stand in silence. One of out worry and the other in confusion.

* * *

"So, you ready to tell me what's going on or am I to take your silence as an act of Kami?" Ryoga asked from his hay bed. He and Louise returned to their room shortly after dinner but the pinkette was still silent from the conversation with Kirche. He probably would have just let it go until Louise was ready to talk, but her reaction to the redhead's words made him curious and want to know more about this exhibition she spoke of.

Louise sent a sharp glance to the purple-haired boy but he calmly stared back and waited for an answer. After a moment where it looked like she wouldn't reply, she released a heavy sigh and faced him. "In three days there's a special event being held called the Familiar Exhibition Festival. It's a yearly tradition where all the second-year students display their newly summoned familiars and what they can do to the entire school, as well as any guest who come to watch."

"So it's a contest or something?"

"Yes. While it's really to just show off the familiars there is a winner chosen at the end of each festival, either for having the most unique familiar or for putting on the best performance. Usually both," Louise looked worried. "I got careless though and completely forgot about it because of your little event with Count Mott."

Ryoga felt a twang of guilt but quickly pushed it aside. "Still, what you're saying is I'm supposed to just go on stage and preform tricks for some nobles like a pet? Cause I can tell you right now that isn't happening."

"You have too though!" Louise protested. "It's a mandatory requirement for all second-years! Even if I didn't want to be part of it there's no say in the matter! And also the pri-"

Louise suddenly cut herself off and looked away, making Ryoga's brow narrow in suspicion. Now he definitely knew something was up. That was the second time Louise reacted strangely to the knowledge of the exhibition, and not just because she remembered it was happening. Based on what he heard from Kicrhe's earlier words and the reaction of his "master" just now, it sounded like there was somebody important coming to the watch this event. The question was who, and just what sort of connection did they have to the pink-haired noble to entice such a reaction from her?

"Look, whatever you may think of me or the nobles, I need you to just put it aside this time alright?" Louise pleaded to the Duelist. "This is a really important event and as much as it pains me to say it, I need your help this time. This whole thing relies on the familiar's bond with the master and you're still-"

"Except I'm _not_ a real familiar Louise," Ryoga interrupted coldly. "I don't have to do a damn thing if I don't want too, remember? Besides, last I checked I'm still being 'punished', so why should I do a damn thing for you?"

Louise flinched and turned her gaze down. "I know…I know alright! I get it! You don't have to keep bringing it up all the damn time!" she shouted with a pained look, much to Ryoga's surprise. "I know you don't have to listen to me! I know you can just go out and do whatever you want! I get it alright!? But I'm not trying to order or command you, I'm…" she shook a little causing her hair to cover her eyes. "I'm asking you…please…I just want to avoid another embarrassment is all..."

Ryoga's expression softened a bit. Now it made sense.

Louise still had the reputation of a "Zero" in the school despite having him around and was still trying to find ways to prove herself to everyone. This event was a major opportunity for her to earn the respect and acknowledgement that she was a true mage and noble. Though this time it all depended on his participation, meaning that if he agreed she'd have to rely on him to somehow sway the audience with an act that he would only have two days to prepare for. She'd be putting all her faith in him helping her, just like in the Duel with Guiche.

Personally the whole thing sounded stupid. Being forced to put on a show and embarrass himself to a bunch of stuck up nobles and kids was not something Ryoga was fond of doing, especially given how most of the students saw and judged him already. If he had the option he'd rather just find someplace quiet to hide in the school and wait out the whole event to avoid the trouble.

" _But I can't just do that can I?"_ Ryoga mentally sighed. He couldn't just abandon Louise on this despite how much of a pain the event sounded. He wouldn't leave her in the dust to be mocked and humiliated again like before, not if he could do something to stop it. Plus after all the trouble he caused her with Count Mott he did owe her some leeway, and if things went well then maybe she'd ease up on his 'punishment' and let him eat a full meal again. _"Still a fucking pain in the ass though,"_ he shook his head frustrated before looking at Louise. "Fine."

"Huh?" Louise looked up confused.

"I'll participate in the damn contest," Ryoga stated, making Louise's eyes widen in surprise. "Don't misunderstand. I hate the idea of being forced on stage to do a fucking show, especially for a bunch of noble brats. But if I've got no other choice then to be part of this stupid thing then fine. I'll come up with some sort of act or whatever to do in two days alright? Just stop the pouting already, you look ridiculous."

Louise almost didn't believe what she heard. She fully expected Ryoga to fight tooth and nail against the idea of participating, but he hadn't done that. Instead he chose once more to help her, just as he had with her staying in the academy and when he defended her during the duel with Guiche.

"Y…You'll really do it? Truly?" she asked, worried that Ryoga was trying to mess with her.

"I already said I would didn't I? Don't make me repeat myself," Ryoga grumbled.

A feeling of warmth filled Louise's cheeks as she saw truth in Ryoga's eyes and smiled. "Good! Then tomorrow we'll plan out our performance! Make sure you get up bright and early understood! We'll need the time to discuss the proper etiquette and procedure when introducing yourself, oh and even-"

"Yeah yeah," the former Barian shut Louise's voice out and laid back on his bed.

He was going to regret this. Somehow he just knew it.

* * *

The next day the courtyard of the academy could be seen filled with second-year students and their familiars, as each group worked on perfecting various tricks and acts in preparation for the approaching Festival. Watching them against one of the school walls was Ryoga, who had been woken up bright and early by Louise so she could drill into his head the process of how the event worked, from how to present himself, how to speak, to all other sorts of useless information. After all the main point was to just show off the best abilities or performance the noble's familiar was capable of and impress the audience. Simple enough to understand, even if it was a pain.

Afterwards Louise had surprisingly let Ryoga have the day off, much to his disbelief. When asked about her sudden generosity she explained that despite Ryoga's recent actions and attitude, she would need him to be at his absolute best for the exhibition, and that restricting his movements and punishing him would only hinder him. Therefore until the exhibition was over she'd trust Ryoga to be on his own to think up and practice a truly jaw-dropping idea for the event.

So taking advantage of his newfound freedom, however brief it was, the water user decided to check out the competition and see what they were doing. Sure it was a bit odd since he was human and his opponents were various species of animals, but it was still rather informative and interesting as he observed the familiars and masters work together on their tricks, acts, and in the case of Guiche and his mole, posing and staring into each other's eyes for three hours straight.

He counted.

But while watching the other performances was somewhat amusing, it did nothing to appeal to Ryoga's own interest in the event. He was never one for the spotlight despite the number of times it was focused on him, and just did what he wanted without a care for the responses or reactions of others. The few times he had been forced to do something he either did it as quickly as possible or simply half-assed. Heck back when Heartland Academy was holding their annual Fun Fair the only reason he participated was because everyone kept begging for his help, though admittedly it was rather fun rocking out for that world-class singer. It made him a bit sad that he didn't have any guitar-like cards in his deck, as it would have been hilarious to watch the nobles of this world react to power of Rock and Roll.

The thought did bring up an important question though. Should he use his cards and powers for the exhibition?

While doing so would easily help to put on one heck of a show, there was going to be a lot of people watching that didn't know about his existence or what he could do, and Ryoga wasn't sure if he was ready to reveal himself just yet. But as stood his deck was the only surefire way to win this event. Sure he could always display some of his swordsmanship with Derflinger, but unless somebody volunteered to get their ass handed to him then swinging and displaying moves to the open air wasn't exactly a thrilling sight when compared to some of the other stuff he was seeing.

" _Which leaves me back to square one,"_ Ryoga sighed and rubbed his brow, causing him to not notice a presence approach him.

"Sir Shark?" A familiar voice called out making Ryoga look up and see the familiar face of Katie hovering over him.

"Oh, hey there Katie. It's been a while hasn't it?" Ryoga greeted the first-year, who smiled right back at him.

"Indeed it has. It's good to see you again Sir Shark. How have you been?"

"I'm decent enough. Just trying to clear my head is all. What of you though? Don't you have classes now or something?" Ryoga questioned.

"I have some free time before my next lesson actually, so I decided to come out and watch the second-years practice," Katie explained. "But I didn't expect to see you here as well Sir Shark. Are you also practicing for the exhibition?"

"Uh…sure, you could say that I guess," Ryoga said with uncertainty. No need to tell the brunette that he didn't even have something to practice.

"I see," Katie giggled only to stop when she caught movement behind Ryoga's back. She looked over his shoulder curiously and gasped. "Oh I'm sorry, I didn't realize you were with someone else. I'm not disturbing you two am I?"

Ryoga turned his attention from the first-year to his right, where sitting against the wall beside him was the quiet form of Tabitha, who seemed to be more occupied with the book she was reading rather then current conversation. The small bluenette had been there since before he even arrived, sitting in the exact same spot and reading without so much as a hint of movement. She had almost seemed like a living doll or statue because of it, and he hadn't noticed her presence in the courtyard until he had gone to sit against the wall himself.

But since Tabitha hadn't said or done anything to interact with him or push him away Ryoga just assumed she had no issue with his presence. Probably because like her there were times he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts and without the disturbance of others. As such the two kindred spirits, in their need for solitude, had been keeping each other company without so much as a peep to the other, not that either complained about it for obvious reasons. Ryoga was relieved though that Sylphid was nowhere in sight, as the last thing he needed was to be chased around the damn courtyard again by the stupid lizard.

"Not really, we were just sharing the same space so don't worry about it too much," Ryoga shrugged. If the bespectacled girl had any issues about it she was free to speak her mind, otherwise he didn't see a reason tell Katie otherwise.

"I see. If you say so Sir Shark," Katie let out a quiet sigh of relief. Last thing she wanted was to cause another incident like with Guiche. She then turned her attention to the other familiars and nobles, her eyes filling with fascination and awe. "It must be very exciting for you and the second-years. Training so hard and having so much fun. It makes me a little jealous that I won't be able to participate myself, especially with Lady Henrietta coming to watch this year."

"Henrietta?" Ryoga raised a brow curiously. That sounded like a noble's name. "Who's that?"

"Eh? You don't know about the princess?" Katie looked shocked by his question. Never had she met anyone that didn't know of Lady Henrietta, yet the shake of Ryoga's head served as her first.

"I'm not exactly from around here remember? So my lack of knowledge into this kingdom's hierarchy is still a little off."

Ryoga wasn't lying since he only knew about the nobles and commoners. This was actually the first time he heard about the royalty of this world despite hearing about the palace before.

"I see," Katie nodded. "Well Lady Henrietta is the Crown Princess and ruler of the Kingdom of Tristain. She's also the daughter of former King Henry and Queen Marianne, though I suppose it's former queen now as well."

"Former king _and_ queen?" Ryoga inquired. Katie gave a sad nod.

"Unfortunately the king passed away not long ago, and Queen Marianne has refused to take the mantle of ruler, instead becoming a queen regent. Because of this a power struggle nearly erupted in the kingdom and forced Lady Henrietta to take the mantle of ruler early despite not being officially crowned."

Her words made Ryoga flinch as his heart filled with empathy and remembrance. He knew all too well the feeling of losing someone important while ruling a kingdom. When Vector invaded his homeland, the mad king summoned the sea god Abyss Splash and wrecked his way through Ryoga's army and city. It was only when Rio had sacrificed herself to take control of the god that the bastard's forces were driven off and their home and people were saved. Yet none of that mattered to Ryoga at the time, as the only thing he could think of was how cold his sister's body felt in his arms.

On that day he had felt his heart tear open at the loss of his sibling, and all thoughts of ruling his kingdom and people vanished from his mind. Instead it had been replaced with sorrow, anguish, and most of all, vengeance towards the one who took what was most precious to him from his world, swearing to the heavens above that he would make Vector pay for it no matter the cost.

It was a feeling he never wanted to experience again.

Blocking out the painful memories the blue-eyed teen continued listening to Katie. "Since then Lady Henrietta has ruled over the kingdom and its' people despite not officially being crowned. But even with her lack of title she has become a symbolic existence of life and hope to the citizens and nobles. She's still young but has naturally taken to ruling just as well as her parents, and is said to be very kindhearted and forgiving, as well as beautiful from what I hear," Katie looked back to the other nobles with a bright smile. "It's why everybody was so excited to hear that she was arriving for the exhibition. Especially since this is the first time she has ever done so."

"I see," Ryoga nodded. And he truthfully did.

Now it all made sense as to Kirche's words and Louise's actions. The pink-haired girl was scared she'd make a fool of herself in front of the princess due to her reputation in the school and trusted Ryoga to somehow prevent that. It was still a pain to be bothered with, but at least now he fully understood the reasoning behind her actions and desperation behind him winning. Not that he personally cared for winning, but at least it was another incentive to at least try and take this event seriously. Especially since he was curious to see what the royalty in this world was really like, and just how much about this princess was actually true.

"Oh but you don't need to be nervous about her arrival or anything!" Katie quickly reassured. "I'm sure you'll do fine with your performance. And I'll be watching the exhibition as well, so you can count on my support and cheering to help you Sir Shark."

"You're never going to drop that 'Sir' stuff are you?" Ryoga gave a sigh of annoyance. He really hated being called Sir. It made him sound like an old man or something. He was still fourteen dammit, physically anyways.

"Nope!" Katie gave a small laugh. Suddenly the sound of a bell echoed throughout the school making her gasp. "Oh no, I didn't realize how much time I spent out here! I need to hurry back to class! It was good seeing you again Sir Shark! Good luck on your training!"

"Yeah, see you later," Ryoga waved Katie off as she turned and ran. Once she was out of sight he looked back to the other nobles and frowned. "Training huh…"

That's right, he still needed to come up with an idea of what to do. Meaning he couldn't just slack around the wall watching the others practice all day, especially if Louise ended up catching him. With that in mind the Duelist stood up and walked off, unaware of Tabitha's quiet eyes watching him the whole time.

* * *

After much mental debate and frustration Ryoga finally found a secluded courtyard and pulled out his deck and Duel Disk. He still wasn't sure about using his cards and powers at the exhibition, but as of right now they were the best, and really the _only_ available option to him. The aftermath would definitely be an issue, but it would give him the greatest chances of winning and would probably make Louise happy. And even if he did manage to come up with a different idea later on, it would be good to at least have a backup just in case.

The question now though was what to use? The battle he had with Mott showed that his Magic and Trap Cards still worked, as well as that all of his cards seemed to keep their effects, but because of the way this world worked they also could have unexpected or dangerous results when used outside of a Duel. And while this was fine when being used to fight someone, as he could direct that power towards his opponent, there was no way he would risk activating a card effect during the exhibition. Not only for the shit load of questions that would be asked, but because he didn't want to end up endangering someone.

That just left his monsters, but that too was a problem as Big Jaws was the only one he ever openly summoned. Nobody outside Louise, Colbert, and Osmond knew of his other monsters, and while he could always make up an excuse for their sudden appearance, like they were a pet that followed him all the way from home or something, it didn't make them any less appealing or dangerous. His monsters were all dangerous sea hunters and predators, not circus performers that liked pulling off tricks. No, they liked pulling prey apart into bite-sized pieces, and even though Ryoga could control them he knew their frightening appearance wouldn't help with his act. But it wasn't like he had any light-hearted or cute looking creatures in his deck, so what else coul-

" _Wait!"_ Ryoga's eyes widened as he pulled out his Extra Deck and began shuffling through it. He stopped when his eyes landed on a specific card, pulling it out to take a better look at it. _"This one is…"_

He remembered this card. It was a Christmas gift given to him by Rio when they were they were only five-years old, and was his very first Xyz Card during his reincarnated life in Heartland. Unfortunately due to its' Rank there was no way he could summon it normally with his deck, but he always kept in on him as a sort of good luck charm and remembrance of a time where things were far more innocent and kind. It was also the only innocent, cute, and non-threatening looking monster he had.

" _But will it even listen to me?"_ Ryoga wondered as he looked the card over. He had never summoned it before so there was no telling what sort of personality it would have or what it would do. For all he knew the cute innocent picture on the card hid a terrifying and dangerous personality. Vector was proof of such a thing. "Guess there's only one way to find out," Ryoga activated his Duel Disk and looked around quickly to make sure nobody was watching. Once he confirmed he was alone he channeled his power and slapped the card on the disk. "Come forth, Cat Shark!"

But surprisingly, nothing happened.

"What the?" Ryoga looked at the card in shock. He quickly removed it from the disk before placing it down again. "Come forth, Cat Shark!" He called out, but just like before nothing appeared. He did it a third time, and a fourth, but each time there was no summon, no water, nothing. "What the hell?"

Confusion was written all over the former Barian's face. This had never happened before even in his world. He could feel the power of Chaos rising in him to summon the monster like every other time, but something was off. It was as if the power was being blocked just before it could reach the card, like there was some sort of barrier in the way. It didn't feel very strong, but it was enough that it was preventing him from calling the Xyz Monster.

" _But why would there be a barrier in the first place?"_ Ryoga held the card up to examine it.

It didn't feel any different from his other cards, so why was there an interference with this one? Deciding to test something the former Barian tried channeling some Chaos energy, and was surprised to find no resistance as the power easily flowed through the card like normal. He then called the power back before directing it into his Duel Disk, and again felt no resistance. Did this mean the block only occurred when he tried to summon it?

"In that case," Ryoga lifted the card up and channeled Chaos energy into it once more. "Let's see how much power you can take! Come forth! Cat Shark!"

Ryoga slapped the Chaos charged card on the Duel Disk, this time making the power erupt from the Duel Disk and flow around him. He felt the barrier forming again but refused to lose this time and pushed more energy into it. The barrier wasn't as strong as others he had faced before, and if he could break through whatever was preventing the summon then hopefully it would give him the desired result. If not, then at the very least he hoped it would give some insight on what was happening with the Xyz Card.

" _Wait…Xyz Card?"_ A sudden realization hit Ryoga _. "Cat Shark is a Xyz Monster, and this is the first time I've tried summoning an Xyz in this world. Does that mean I need to-"_

* * *

The entire academy suddenly shook as the sound of a large explosion emitted from one of the courtyards. However since such a thing was a common occurrence, thanks in part to Louise, everyone simply assumed it was her doing and went along their business.

Except for the pinkette herself who looked in the direction of the explosion confused. "What was that?"

* * *

"That…hurt," Ryoga grumbled, his body now sprawled across the ground while he coughed smoke out of his lungs. Looking up from his position he spotted a large crater formed where he was originally standing, as well as a massive pillar of smoke emerging from it.

He expected several things to happen when trying to break the barrier, but an explosion was not one of them. Then again he supposed it was his fault for not realizing such an obvious oversight sooner. Back in his world he was able to summon and use any of his cards at any time thanks to the power of Chaos, even outside of Dueling. And while he could still do similar in this world, similar did not mean same, which was the reason he overlooked the idea that there might be some restrictions and limits to his new Chaos powers.

And that seemed to be the case for his Xyz Cards, which made sense since they were different from his normal cards both in terms of strength and summoning condition. It would also explain why there was the blockade he felt when calling Cat Shark out, and why forcing his power to break it had resulted both in a failure of a summon and a massive explosion. At least now he had an idea of what to try the next time he wanted to summon any of his Xyz Monsters, though at the moment he wasn't exactly in the mood to test it out.

"Guess I deserved it though for doing something stupid," Ryoga sighed as he sat up and scratched the back of his head.

"Mrrow?"

The former Barian froze at the noise and looked up to the dispersing smoke cloud as it slowly revealed a floating figure. It was an odd-looking creature that was about the size of Kirche's salamander, and had the head, torso, fur, and back legs of a regular house cat. What differed was that it' tail resembled that of a long and flexible shark's tail, it had a pair of pectoral fins for upper arms, and a single dorsal fin on its' back. Its' stomach, back legs, and lower jaw were all a clear white color while the rest of its' body was a dark greenish-blue, and as it looked around confused its' big beady eyes shined with bright green iris's reflected on gold.

"That appearance…" Ryoga noted. "You're…Cat Shark?"

"Mrrow?" The creature turned to the voice surprised, only for its' eyes to widen as a happy expression appeared on its' face. "Mrrow mrrow!"

"Wha-gah!" Ryoga cried out as the spirit suddenly flew and tackled him to the ground, its' large body and heavy weight only serving to increase the impact and pain he was in. He groaned at the feeling and looked up to see the spirit laying on top of him, nuzzling its' head into its' chest. "What the hell? Hey get off me!"

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark shook its' head in defiance.

"I said get off dammit!" Ryoga shouted.

"Mrrow mrrow!" The spirit once again refused as it continued to hug and nuzzle the Duelist.

" _Oh Kami don't tell me I summoned something like Sylphid?"_ Ryoga's brow twitched at the thought. The last thing he needed was another copy of the overly affectionate dragon. He could barley handle one as it was, and the annoyance on his face showed it. "Let go!" He shouted again as he struggled to get out of the Xyz's grasp, but the monster refused to budge. Finally having enough Ryoga moved his feet moved underneath Cat Shark's stomach. "I said, let go dammit!" He kicked the spirit back as hard as he could, finally knocking it off of him and sending it flying head first into the ground.

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark cried out, grasping its' head and whining in pain. Looking up at Ryoga confused and hurt by the action the spirit shook its' head and tried to fly back to him. "Mrrow mrr-"

"Stay back!" Ryoga suddenly yelled, making the Duel Spirit stop in surprise. "Don't you dare try and jump on me again! I'm not a damn pillow for you, you stupid cat!"

Cat Shark's eyes widened as its' face filled with a pained expression from the harsh tone and glare sent its' way. Its' eyes suddenly began to water and resemble that of a kicked puppy, even though it was a cat, and seconds later tears fell down as the spirit landed on the ground and began loudly crying.

"Mrrooooooooooooow! Mrroooooooooow!"

Ryoga gaped at the sight, not having expected such a reaction and quickly felt guilt hit his stomach like a sledgehammer. He hadn't meant to make the Xyz cry, he just wanted it to get off of him because of how it was hurting and annoying him with the affection and hugs, especially since it reminded him of the constant attention he had to endure from Sylphid. But even it didn't excuse his actions as he had allowed his experience with the dragon to cause him to overreact, which was made even worse since this was his first meeting with the new monster.

"Dammit," Ryoga sighed as he got up and walked over to Cat Shark. The spirit didn't notice as it kept crying, so the former king kneeled down and lightly reached out to touch it, finally drawing its' attention and making it nearly jump away in fright. "Hey, hey it's okay! I'm not going to hurt you."

"M-Mrrow mrrow…" Cat Shark whimpered.

"It's okay, really. I promise I'm not going to do anything," Ryoga spoke softly, being able to understand exactly what the Xyz Monster was saying thanks to his powers. The spirit looked at him nervously but didn't move to run. "Listen uh…are you alright? I didn't hurt you too bad did I?" Ryoga asked worriedly. Cat Shark stared at him for a moment before shaking its' head, making the Duelist feel a bit of relief. "I see. Look, I'm sorry about what happened back there. I didn't mean to yell at you or hurt you like that, I was just…surprised was all."

"Mrrow…?" The Duel Spirit questioned.

"No, no I wasn't upset. Well not at you anyways. Really more annoyed than anything," Ryoga explained. "You see there's another creature here that kind of does the same thing you did, and she has a tendency of annoying the heck out of me because of it, as well as refuses to leave me alone when I tell her too. Your actions just reminded me too much of her and well I…overreacted because of it.

"Mrrow mrrow…"

"I know, and I understand. It was the first time I've ever summoned you after all. You've been asleep for a long time, so to suddenly be called out like that must have been pretty exciting for you. I should have realized that sooner when I was calling you out, and I'm sorry I didn't," Ryoga apologized sincerely. "Still, you shouldn't just jump on a person and hug them like that, especially when they're telling you to let go. I get you were excited, but I'd prefer you if you don't make a habit of constantly tackling and hugging me or anyone else for that matter. It would only serve to become an annoyance."

Cat Shark's expression plummeted once more as it looked down. It was surprised though to suddenly feel Ryoga's palm on its' head and looked back up to see the Duelist smiling.

"That being said, I've kept you around all this time for a reason Cat Shark," the spirit's eyes widened at Ryoga's words. "Because even if I've never summoned you before, you're still a part of my deck and an important card to me. And I finally called you after all this time not only because I could, but because I need your help with something. Something I don't think any of my other monsters can help with," Ryoga removed the hand from Cat Shark's head and held it in front of the spirit. "So if you can forgive me for what I did, I'd like to try and redo this whole first meeting thing properly. What do you say?"

Cat Shark's eyes brightened at the words and nodded excitedly, placing its' fin in the Duelist, no, its' _master's_ palm. "Mrrow mrrow!"

Ryoga smiled and stood back to his feet, with Cat Shark floating up with him. He was relieved to know he hadn't screwed things up with the Xyz, especially since he now realized that the spirit before him was just a child, which explained it's emotional state. Now he just needed to-

"Mrrow?" Cat Shark suddenly tilted its' head and flew around Ryoga. Confused by the action the Duelist followed Cat Shark's movement and watched as the feline landed on the ground behind him and began poking at an object with its' fin. Once Ryoga caught sight of the object however his entire body froze in disbelief.

"What the…" the former Barian snapped his gaze to his Duel Disk to see if he was imagining things, but his eyes didn't deceive him as he looked back up in shock to the item currently lying on the grass.

It was the Xyz Card for Cat Shark, the very Duel Spirit poking at it. The monster that currently existed as a real creature in this world. The monster he just summoned not long ago. The monster that he just apologized too and fixed a mistake with before permanent damage was done.

The monster whose card was currently _not_ on his Duel Disk and _not_ emitting any power of Chaos.

"Oh shit…"

"Mrrow?"

* * *

The sun had started setting by the time Ryoga decided to head back to Louise's room, albeit a bit hesitant. Not only had he not come up with any real ideas for the exhibition, which alone would probably piss off the chibi noble, but he also now had to deal with telling Louise about the floating form of Cat Shark beside him. He felt the odd stares and heard the whispers from those who saw the Duel Monster, and while their reactions mostly consisted of confusion and surprise, as well as some strange looks and sounds from the female population, there was no telling how Louise was going to react to this little problem.

Apparently whatever he had done to summon Cat Shark had broken more than just the barrier he felt, because not only was the Duel Monster still able to exist in the world without the power of Chaos fueling his card or the card being on Ryoga's Duel Disk, but the spirit also couldn't return to its' card either, meaning it was now stuck in this world as a real monster for who knows how long. Sure it reinforced Ryoga's theory about the blockade being connected to summoning condition of his Xyz Cards, but it also meant he could never risk summoning another Xyz, or activating any card that had a similar barrier, without doing so the correct way less he risk permanently calling out something far larger and more dangerous. Still he needed to think of a clear way to explain the situation to Louise, hence why he was taking the scenic route to get to her room.

The very _long_ scenic route.

However while the Duelist continued his long walk through the school, three sets of eyes watched him carefully from a distance.

"That's him right?"

"Yeah, I've seen him a lot of times before. That's definitely this 'Shark-san' Siesta keeps talking about."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's make this quick and grab him before anybody spots us."

"Are you insane? Don't you remember what he can do? Do you want to end up as fish food?"

"But I heard he only does that with the students here."

"Yeah but that doesn't mean he won't do it to us!"

"You only say that cause you're afraid. We've all kept our distance from him in case you forgot, so for all we know he may not even be that scary with us."

"Tell that to the thing floating beside him! I mean where did it even come from? Last I checked he didn't have something like that roaming around! For all we know it could be a deadly killer!"

"How dare you say such a thing about something so adorable!"

"Don't be fooled by the innocence dammit!"

"But look at it! It's so cute and fluffy! How could something like that be a vicious monster?"

"Great, she's under his spell."

"Well then what do you suggest?"

"I-"

"You know…" Ryoga's voice suddenly intruded from behind. "When you're trying to sneak up on somebody, it's usually a good idea to keep _quiet_ while doing so."

Three loud shrieks filled the air as Ryoga and Cat Shark stared at the morons before him. The Duelist didn't even have to hear their voices to know he was being followed, as he had always been able to pick up on that sort of thing easily, but it was still kinda pathetic to watch, even more so that he was able to sneak up on them without any of them realizing. Still he was a bit curious as to why there was a pair of chefs and a maid following him instead of the usual idiot nobles.

"So then," the former Barian's eyes narrowed upon the shaking trio. "Mind telling me why you're following me?"

* * *

Mateau sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Geeze, didn't I tell you guys to bring him here without causing a ruckus?"

"We're sorry boss!" The two chefs and maid shouted as they bowed to the older man, while hiding their joy at being freed from the terrifying presence of the blue-eyed teen and feline fish behind them.

Ryoga simply watched with hands in pocket while Cat Shark looked at the large kitchen in awe. The former Barian hadn't been here since the Duel with Guiche, mostly because he had avoided the place knowing how the servants were constantly discussing and watching him with fear and confusion. Not that he blamed them given his recent actions, but it was still weird to be back, especially given the number of eyes and whispers around him from what looked to be the entire kitchen and serving staff, including Siesta who he spotted to his left. Why he was here he still didn't know, but the three failures of spies said that Marteau wanted to have him brought to the kitchen, so he decided to humor them and see what the head chef wanted.

"Sorry about that. Not sure what they were thinking by sneaking up on you but I promise the intentions were not as they seemed," Marteau apologized to Ryoga after finishing his conversation with the other three.

"It's fine. It not like they were causing me much trouble," Ryoga replied calmly, though his eyes watched the chef cautiously. He had no issue with Marteau personally, and if it weren't for the guy he wouldn't have even known about Siesta's predicament until it was too late. But the man was still one of the head servants of the academy and a non-magic user, meaning he could still have a critical mind about the former king's actions. "So what's this all about? I doubt you've gathered me and your entire staff here for no reason."

Marteau nodded. "You'd be right on that. Everyone!"

All the staff members suddenly moved closer and encircled the boy and Duel Monster, causing both of them to tense up. Ryoga's eyes narrowed sharply as Marteau also stepped forward with a strong and serious expression. The former Barian didn't know what was about to happen, but if any of them tried anything funny then they'd-

"THANK YOU FOR RESUCING SIESTA!"

…Wait what?

Ryoga was momentarily stunned by the united shout, and quickly became confused as every single servant in the room, save Siesta, bowed to him. "W-What the hell? What are you all doing?"

"Thanking you of course!" Marteau announced. "For returning our dear sweet Siesta to us! She told us everything about how you rescued her from that vile Count Mott. How you traveled to the count's very manor and defeated him in his own house to save her from such a cruel fate!"

Siesta blushed shyly as Ryoga's gaze turned on her. He wasn't too surprised that she told someone about what happened, but he didn't expect such a reaction to come from it.

"Okay…but you don't have to thank me for something like that," Ryoga said calmly. "I didn't do it to be thanked or anything. I did it to rescue a friend. Simple as that."

"Hear that everybody? It's as I said, a true master would never boast about his actions or skills! This is why he's so different from those stupid nobles. I expected nothing less!" Marteau laughed, the servants all nodding in agreement and beginning to speak praises of Ryoga's actions, while the boy just stood dumbfounded by the sudden change in personality around him.

"That's not what I-" Ryoga tried to speak only for Marteau to hold out a hand to stop him.

"I know what you're going to say but I don't want to hear it," Marteau stated with a jolly smile. "Siesta's told us how you think, and even if you say you don't need thanks we still feel the need to do so. You did something no ordinary person would do and rescued someone very dear to us without asking anything in return. We can't just sit back and not thank you for it, nor can we allow such a debt go unfulfilled. That's why I called you here in the first place, so that you can join us in our celebration of Siesta's safe return, with you as the guest of honor, Our Fang!"

"Our Fang?" Ryoga parroted the title.

"Indeed!" Marteau exclaimed proudly. "You're not a commoner but act nothing like those jerk nobles or let them push you around. You're strong and prideful but don't let it get to you and hunt down those who have committed injustice upon others! Like that familiar of yours you're a powerful predator, one that stands firmly for itself and its' beliefs no matter what, and have become a symbol to us commoners, Our Fang!"

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark seemed to agree with the title as it meowed happily, which again caused the females to emit a weird squealing sound. Ryoga ignored it though as he looked down to the floorboard.

"That's…" he wasn't sure what to say. Had rescuing Siesta really had that big of an effect on them all?

Ryoga saved her because she was his friend and was in danger, nothing more. He could give a crap as to what anyone else thought about his actions, which he clearly showed to Louise. But this sudden appreciation and thanks coming from the same servants who originally kept their distance and watched him in fear had left him flabbergasted and bewildered. He wasn't sure how to take it all in since the only other times he saw such radical changes were with Yuma and his group, but at least then he knew the people and had bonded with them. For that change to now be happening with such a large amount of strangers was almost too much for him.

"Listen Shark," Marteau addressed Ryoga, his expression now looking far more serious and fitting for the man's age. "I know we haven't done you a lot of justice since your arrival, what with all the rumors about you being a noble and everything, but we're not so petty as to judge a person solely on that. I actually planned to bring you here sooner so we could speak with you about the whole thing, but then everything with that bastard count happened and well, you know the rest. This isn't just thanks for rescuing Siesta, but an apology for our actions and mistreatment towards you," he nodded his head to the staff, who Ryoga saw held remorseful looks filling their eyes. "We just want to make things right. So what do you say lad? I'll understand if it's not your sort of thing, but we hope you'll indulge us just for this one night in your honor," Marteau grinned again and gave a thumbs-up. "Besides, why not get away from the air of the upper class and learn what it means to have some _real_ fun with the common folk eh?"

Ryoga looked around the room to the other servants as he debated the idea in his head. As Marteau said he wasn't a party person, never had been, and always found such events a waste of time and too crowded and annoying for his taste. But it was clear that the cook and rest of the staff had been planning this little event probably since Siesta's rescue, and had put a lot of time and effort into preparing it for him. And while it was completely unnecessary in the water user's mind, he knew that declining the offer would be an insult to their hard work and desire for forgiveness.

"Please Shark-san?" Siesta stepped forward and smiled at the Duelist. "Everyone's really wanted to thank you for what you did for me. We'd be truly honored if you'd join us for this evening. Just for tonight, please?"

That settled it. Upon seeing Siesta's warm eyes and happy expression the former Barian felt his resistance crumble as he let out a heavy sigh. He really hated being unable to say no to such a face. It was too overpowered.

"So…what exactly did you have in mind?"

* * *

The day finally ended and night had taken its' place in the sky by the time the celebration finally ceased. The event had gone on for several hours, and during that time there was plenty of activity to be had. Large varieties of food and drinks were passed around for the whole staff to enjoy, to which Cat Shark happily indulged in the most. There were games to play such as cup toss, dart throwing, and even arm wrestling, the latter of which Marteau completely dominated. And there was even a singing competition between the staff and servants, though by that time most of them were half drunk and were just waving around and shouting like a group of monkeys.

It was loud, noisy, and extremely crowed. And yet for Ryoga the overall mood of the event was very high and enjoyable despite his initial hesitation. Well except for when Marteau had tried to kiss him in a happily drunk state. He firmly kicked the chef's face into the floorboard for that little stunt.

The atmosphere had since settled down and the purple-haired teen was now helping Siesta with the clean up despite everyone's protest. This event was for him after all and they didn't want the guest of honor to end up doing any manual labor for a party that was made for him. But once again Ryoga refused to not take responsibility for something he caused, a fact that made Siesta smile in memory of his similar actions during the Familiar Bonding event.

"I still can't believe those brats get to eat such amazing food from you guys all the time. The talents of the staff here are wasted," Ryoga voiced, ignoring Cat Shark's whine while he tossed the remains of a Filet Mignon into the trash. He had to admit he was thoroughly impressed with just how many delicious meals were made for this event, as well as the fact that Marteau was the one who came up with most of the recipes himself, claiming it was "his form of magic". It made the boy realize though that the food served tonight was of the same quality that the students had three times each day, and irritated him at just how spoiled the nobles were.

"It's not that bad," Siesta smiled as she placed another set of dishes by the sink. "A lot of them enjoy being able to constantly test their skills and recipes with the students and professors, and it helps them gain experience in recognizing what certain nobles desire or dislike. It's how Marteau ended up joining the academy in the first place."

"He joined to test himself?" Ryoga questioned, tossing the garbage away before taking a seat at one of the tables, with Cat Shark quickly sitting on top to join him.

"Yes," Siesta took the spot beside the Duelist. "Before coming here Marteau-san used to travel around so he could learn new recipes and push his own cooking talents. But each time he worked for a noble they always had recipes premade for him to follow and wouldn't allow any alterations. While it made work easier for him Marteau-san found he didn't enjoy being limited in his options."

"So instead he came here to test his skills openly on a bunch of kids who don't know what they want instead," Ryoga guessed. Siesta nodded at his answer which made the boy chuckle. "Sounds like he was trading one pain for another."

Siesta giggled. "Perhaps. But he was able to have such a choice given to him. Something a lot of us don't get the opportunity to have."

Ryoga frowned knowing exactly what she was talking about. "You still alright? I mean with the whole Mott thing?"

"I'm fine Shark-san. I've gotten over it. It's just…" Siesta looked over to the passed-out staff. "You have no idea how much what you did affected us. We commoners always feel powerless when it comes to the higher nobles and what they do, and because we can't fight back many lose hope and worry that if something happened to us nobody would truly care," she then put a hand over Ryoga's and gave him a warm smile. "But you showed otherwise. You rescued me when nobody else would have, and proved that there are still people out there who do care and will fight to protect us. That we aren't alone after all. This whole event may have seemed over the top and silly, but everybody here is truly thankful for what you did, and for helping them to keep that hope alive. Myself most of all."

 _His words left him and his body froze in place as a pair of soft and warm lips pressed against his cheek._

Ryoga's cheeks burned at the memory and he quickly turned his head to hide them. "I-It's nothing to be worried about! You're my friend after all," he said while mentally cursing. Why the fuck was he stuttering and blushing? He wasn't a schoolgirl dammit! Trying to ignore the embarrassment he looked back to Siesta with a serious gaze. "And while I may not always show it I care a lot for my friends, despite how few there actually are. So the next time something happens just tell me right away instead of hiding it alright? I'll do whatever I can to help you regardless of the circumstance, I promise."

Siesta blushed heavily and looked down shyly. "Y-Yes Shark-san, I promise."

A brief silence passed between the two as they avoided looking at each other due to the red on their faces, while Cat Shark just watched them in confusion. After a moment Siesta's curiosity broke the silence.

"S-So Shark-san, if you don't mind me asking, what are you going to do for the familiar exhibition?" She asked, only to then jump when the Duelist unexpectedly smacked his head onto the table with a loud thump. "S-Shark-san?"

"Louise's gonna kill me," Ryoga mumbled while Cat Shark poked his head with a fin. After a moment he lifted his head back up and released a heavy sigh. "Sorry, it's just I've been trying to figure out what to do for this stupid contest all day and couldn't come up with anything. At this rate I might as well toss in the towel and find a nice quiet place to hide until the whole thing blows over."

"Eh? You don't have anything planned?" Siesta said surprised. "But what about Big Jaws, or this little cutie here? Couldn't you do anything with them?"

"It wouldn't work," Ryoga stated. Upon seeing Siesta's confusion he decided to explain. "While it's true I could have them join me and do some tricks, you forget that every other noble in the exhibition will be doing the exact same thing with their familiar. Having Big Jaws or Cat Shark do the acts for me would simply seem like I'm mimicking the other students, and wouldn't be showing any of _my_ talents or skills. Heck it'd probably get me disqualified or something."

He realized this issue during the party when Cat Shark began to randomly dance, or at least he assumed it was dancing, during the singing competition. Once again he couldn't believe he had overlooked such an obvious problem and had nearly cursed aloud for it, but because of the party going on he decided to try and forget about it until tomorrow.

"I see. That's rather unfortunate," Siesta looked quite saddened. She didn't want Ryoga to drop out of the exhibition, as she was rather excited to see what he would do and had hoped to cheer him on from the crowds.

"Tell me about it," Ryoga scratched Cat Shark's ears, making it purr loudly while he looked around the room. "You know you guys are really lucky. You, Marteau, the entire staff even. Despite the jobs you have to deal with you're all extremely talented and skilled in many fields, even if other people don't see it as such. Laundry, cleaning, repairs, even cooking delicious food. I barley had the patience to do any of that when I-"

Ryoga's movements and words suddenly halted, much to Cat Shark's disappointment, causing Siesta to look at him worried. "Shark-san? What's wrong?"

"When I…" Ryoga's eyes filled with realization as he shot up from the table and looked back to the plates and leftover food. His mind began racing with ideas and memories, and after a moment a large shark-toothed grin graced his face. "That's it!"

"What's i-eek!" Siesta squeaked as Ryoga suddenly grabbed her hand and pulled her up from the table. Her confusion and embarrassment spiked as she found herself being led out of the kitchen, with Cat Shark following behind the duo. "S-Shark-san? W-What going on? Where are we going?"

"We're going make a meal," the former king announced as he continued grinning and made his way to his destination.

The academy pantry.

* * *

"Make sure to guard the gates on the exhibition day. We cannot afford for anything to go wrong while her majesty is here," Colbert ordered to a guardsman of the academy, who quickly nodded and left. Once he was out of sight the professor let out a light sigh. It had been a hectic day trying to prepare everything for the arrival of her majesty. He had been run ragged just trying to ensure that the security wasn't slacking and actually ready incase-

"Mr. Colbert?"

The professor turned to the voice and smiled when he saw Miss Longueville approaching him. "Ah Miss Longueville. How are you this evening?"

"I'm well thank you, though I should be asking you the same thing. You're taking the guards from the vault to guard the gates?" The green-haired secretary questioned curiously.

Colbert nodded and turned to the gigantic wood and metal doors beside him. The doors of the academy's special vault. "Unfortunately so. With everything going on we're already shorthanded as it is. Considering that the princess's arrival was rather unexpected it's better to be safe than sorry."

"I see. But is that really a wise thing to do?" Longueville asked. "I've heard that Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt is after a treasure in this vault. Is it really alright to remove the guards when that thief has been so active lately?"

Colbert didn't physically show it but inside he agreed with her concern. The infamous thief had been making a rather large name for herself as of late, taking and stealing more treasures from nobles and escaping with a mocking notice to the victims. It had gotten so bad that the palace was starting to arm their own servants with weapons for safety.

Pushing the thoughts aside Colbert gave a reassuring smile. "Even if that was the case, what kind of thief would choose this precise time to rob us while the Royal Guards were on sight? Besides, even if she did come I doubt she'd be able to break into the vault so easily. Not even Triangle-class mages would stand a chance against this door."

"Oh? I see," Longueville looked up at the door, her eyes filled with a cold and calculating gaze.

"Plus, the school guards should be allowed to show off to the palace once in a while. Can't let ourselves be intimidated now can we?" Colbert joked with a smile.

Longueville's eyes shifted to their normal state as she returned the smile. "That's very true."

* * *

Meanwhile in a certain noble's room a loud and furious pink-haired banshee could be heard shouting.

"WHERE IN BRIMIR'S NAME IS RYOGA!?"

* * *

 **HAPPY LABOR DAY PEOPLE! \O.O/ *blows that weird blowy party thing while fireworks go off in background***

 **Hey guys, good to see you all again! I know you're probably off enjoying your day off or celebrating and getting drunk, like a few of my friends, but I still wanted to post this chapter today just because...well it's a holiday. And I want to try and always make a chapter during such holidays just because it'd be fun and a sort of reward to all of us for making it this far in the year, ya know? So expect me to try and put out a new chapter during each major holiday.**

 **Anyways, onto the big piece with this chapter...CAT SHARK HAS JOINED THE PARTY! *plays Final Fantasy IIV Victory Fanfare music* XD**

 **Oh god you have no idea how exciting and troubling it was to write Cat Shark into this story. I was trying so hard to figure out what its' personality was like (currently "its'" because I want you guys to decide a gender for Cat Shark if you want it to have one). I eventually came up with the personality you saw in this chapter, which is sort of like a little child since the Xyz not only looks like it is one, but since this is the first time Cat Shark has ever been called out, due to it mostly being asleep the whole time, its' very curious and childish about the world around it. Which of course will cause funny antics when the situations aren't so serious.**

 **It was also tough to write the first meeting between Ryoga and Cat Shark because I had NO idea how such an interaction would work. However my friends helped me to figure it out, and even pointed me back to a very familiar situation with a certain fan loved character during the GX era. Can you guess who?**

 **I'll give you a hint *clears throat***

 **Ich!**

 **Jyu!**

 **Hyak!**

 **Sen!**

 ***grins* I'll let you guys finish the rest if you know it. ^.^**

 **Anyways, my schedule this month is pretty light so I'll have more time to write, which is a good thing since I will need to rewrite some of the ideas I had because of Cat Shark's new appearance, as well as a certain "issue" I discovered with my work. Nothing major or dangerous so don't worry about the story. I still can't decide what to do for that 50th review thing, and it sucks cause I feel like I missed it now *pouts*.**

 **Ah well, anyways onto the reviews!**

 **Omega Porunga: Hey man good to hear from you again! Glad you enjoyed my take on the Magic/Trap workings for this world, and look forward to future ones pretty soon. Also I hope you like the sound I gave to Cat Shark and where the stories going so far!**

 **Mickhe11: Wow...I...thank you man. Thank you. I really appreciate that. But really it's you guys who are helping me keep going with this and writing as good, I hope anyways, of a story as I am writing. I hope not to let you all down, and trust me the only way this story won't be completed is if I die...which I hope doesn't happen anytime soon o.o. Even if it takes years I will definitely finish this story one day, that's a promise! And if I can't, I will find someone to continue where I left off and make sure it's completed.**

 **I'm also glad you like the length as well as Shark's character. I'm glad to know I'm keeping him well in character as that was my biggest fear. And believe me, I got MAJOR ideas for how this will go past the canon. Nothing major just yet due to it still being early, but for long term plans, oh hoh hoh do I got plans. *grins***

 **Touhou is Life: Your question is...surprisingly hard to answer O.o But hey I gave Cat Shark a voice so no worries there! And sorry but your guesses were wrong about the new challenger, as that title belongs to our new Duel Spirit. Though trust me when I say both of those characters you guessed will be appearing VERY soon *grins evilly*.**

 **Also funny you mention Book of Moon because before Ryoga got disqualified from the National Duel Circuit, no thanks to that asshole IV . he actually OWNED the card. So I might actually add Book of Moon to Ryoga's deck in the future. Would be funny to see how that'd work outside a duel in this world.**

 **As for your other idea...no spoilers but *claps hands and gives innocent smile* let's just say you've got some good instincts and leave it at that.**

 **SonicFan12: Glad you're enjoying the story! And sorry for the extra 1, hit that by mistake -.- But fixed it this time! ;^.^ And thank you for the idea again my friend. I love hearing feedback from you guys. Also hope you approve of Cat Shark's sound that I gave him.**

 **Sekishiki: Hello Yuri, you're looking as menacing as ever XD But yeah in all seriousness Cat Shark's side definitely caught me by surprise, but now that can just cause more fun antics, as you saw with him being able to tackle and pin Ryoga to the ground easily hahaha. Also I'm glad you like how the card effects work for this world outside of dueling. Like I told Omega you'll be seeing some more of that soon enough so look forward too it!**

 **As for the spirit of the lake, it's funny you mention that since I was just thinking about her recently and how her meeting Ryoga would go, and boy do I got an idea for that little event, hehehehehe. In fact you guys will be helping me out with that, but not just yet.**

 **Well that's all the reviews. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, and get ready because next time a certain royal member finally makes her appearance!**

 **How will our king of one world interact with the princess of another?**

 **You'll just have to stay tuned for next time guys! Until then!**

 **...**

 **Oh right.**

 **One more thing before I go...*smiles innocently***

 **I lied about not knowing what to do with the 50th *grins* PLAY THE TEST FOOTAGE!**

 **"Mrrow!" *Cat Shark nods and clicks a button***

* * *

"Buchou...please do it."

Her eyes widen in horror and her breath escaped her lungs as the redheaded devil approached her with a dark gaze.

How? How had things gone so terribly wrong?

Her friends were dead, her body was injured because of that damn Rook and pervert, and now she was being forced to kneel down to a bunch of fucking devils? How had this happened? She had the power of Twilight Healing! She had the fucking power to recover from every injury or wound delivered to her! So how could she be kneeling in front of these bastards in such a beaten state!?

And that bastard pervert. His Sacred Gear was Boosted Gear? Impossible! It was a power that had the strength to even kill God, so how could such a pathetic child possibly hold such power?

It was impossible! It was stupid! It was...it was...

 _"It's just not fair..."_ she trembled as her eyes began to water. _"It's just not fair...why did this have to happen? Why didn't I just listen to him? Why?"_

She hated the fact that _he_ was right. He had told her that she was being foolish and reckless with her actions. That she was allowing herself to be deceived and blinded by dreams of glory and false promises, but she hadn't listened, just like always, because of how much she hated him.

She hated how he always sounded smarter than her. She hated how he always held that fucking pride about him like he was better than her. She hated how he made her feel so weak and helpless and afraid. She hated it all. She hated everything about him.

And yet even to this end, even as she was staring at the red orb of light being held by the Gremory heir before her, she couldn't help but have her thoughts go back to boy. That boy who kept telling her she was wrong.

 _"Don't allow your pride to get the better of you Raynare. You allow yourself to be blinded by that bastard fallen like a blind dog, but you're better than that. You and your friends. I don't understand why you won't see it, but I can't force you too see it either unless you realize it for yourself."_

That boy who so much stronger than her.

 _"You lost today because you got arrogant and cocky, not just because I was stronger. You thought that just because I was a human that I was weak and could never match you. You need to understand that not everything is as it seems, and that sometimes the greatest of strengths can come from those who are the weakest of all."_

That boy who...kept helping her.

 _"I know we've had our differences, and I understand that you and I will probably never get along. But even so, I owe you a lot for what you did for me that day. So if you ever need my help, just tell me alright? I'll do whatever I can for you. And if that means beating you down to stop you from making a horrible mistake...then so be it."_

"For my sweet little servant...redemption," the crimson-haired beauty spoke as she pointed the crimson light in her hand toward Raynare and unleashed it.

The power glowed brightly and began to swallow Raynare's vision as it approached. But the fallen angel didn't flinch or move, and instead shut her eyes as a single tear fell down her sad smile. _"You liar..."_

"TRAP CARD OPEN! PHOTONIZE!"

Suddenly a barrier of light appeared before the angel as the crimson attack collided with barrier.

"Nani!?" The redhead Gremory exclaimed in shock as she and her peerage watched the attack struggle against the light before being swallowed up and fading away. "The Power of Destruction...was stopped?"

Suddenly the light scattered into a rain of slam glowing orbs, as a new figure stood between the group of devils and the fallen angel. It was a male by the looks of it, outfitted in what looked to be a black trench coat with a high collar over a grey shirt, a fingerless black glove on his right hand, and white pants with black boots. The male's face showed him to be very young, probably late teens at the most, with pale skin, blonde hair that curled up to a point with a green spiked front and bangs, and a pair of light blue-grey eyes.

"What the!?" One of the devils, a brown-haired teen with emerald eyes, exclaimed in shock. "W-Who is that?"

The other devils didn't respond as they all tensed up and looked at the figure with caution and worry. As they did though Raynare's eyes stared at the figure in utter shock and disbelief. "Y...You're..."

"Are you alright, Raynare?" The boy looked over his shoulder to examine the fallen angel.

"How…how are you here? _Why_ are you here?" Raynare questioned, her voice trembling as she did. "Why did you come here when I told you to stay away? Why did you come here after everything I've done? Why did you..." she looked down shakily. "Why did you save me?"

The boy looked at her silently for a moment before releasing a calm sigh. "Didn't I tell you?" He turned back to look at the devils. "Even if it means stopping you from making a horrible mistake, I'll always be here to help you."

Raynare's heart skipped a beat as she hugged herself. "You..."

"Excuse me," the redheaded female devil suddenly spoke, her caution and frustration reaching its' peak. "I'd hate to interrupt this little meeting of yours, but you're in the way of sweet little servant's redemption. So if you'd be so kind as to move so we can kill that fallen angel over there-"

"Sorry, but I'm afraid I can't allow that to happen," the boy replied calmly, as if unfazed by the amount of eyes and devils before him. "She's already suffered enough for tonight, and I won't allow you to harm her any further."

"Oh?" The woman's eyes narrowed dangerously. "And just who do you think you are to say such a thing?"

The boy smirked and held out his left arm, as suddenly a white light surrounded it before transforming into a blue single sided bladed gauntlet that curved into a crescent shape.

"My name is Tenjo Kaito," the boy declared, as his left eye turned crimson red and several blue marks formed around it. "And I'm a Duelist!"

The black on the boy's clothes suddenly shined into a blinding white, as the aura of a large dragon of light with galaxies for eyes formed behind Kaito and roared, while from the top of the building a young girl in gothic lolita clothing watched with curious gray eyes.

* * *

 **...*grins innocently***

 **Till next time *waves and vanishes***

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	17. Princess Henrietta

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! Belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works

* * *

"This is so stupid," Ryoga mumbled.

"Quiet you," Louise ordered, not wanting to deal with the Duelist's attitude at such an important time.

It was early in the morning and the two of them, along with every other student, teacher, and servant, were lined up along the sides of main path leading from the academy entrance gate to the central tower. They were all awaiting the arrival of Princess Henrietta, whose carriage was soon to arrive for the Familiar Exhibition. Waves of eager chatter and excitement filled the air from the entire crowd, but Ryoga did not share in their enthusiasm, and instead had a disgruntled look on his face. While he was interested in seeing what the royalty of this world was like he still hated large crowded areas, and wasn't too thrilled about being trapped in the middle of one like he was now.

"I'm serious," Ryoga stepped to the side to avoid bumping into a student. "I get why we're supposed be here and everything but it's stupidly packed and loud as hell. Couldn't we just go back inside and watch from a window or something?"

"Absolutely not," Louise immediately rejected. "To be unable to greet the princess's arrival would be the greatest insult and dishonor for any noble. We were lucky enough to get this spot and I refuse to move just because you're uncomfortable," she turned to Ryoga with a hard glare. "You should be grateful you were even given the chance to see the princess considering everything you've done."

Ryoga sighed. "Are you still hung up on earlier? I already apologized didn't I?"

"That doesn't excuse your actions!" Louise exclaimed, the memory of recent events still fresh in her mind.

Ryoga was supposed to return for dinner yesterday but never showed up, and even afterwards never came back to their room for the night causing Louise a great deal of stress and worry. She even suspected him of running off again to escape the exhibition and nearly went to hunt him down, but restrained herself from doing so since it would have caused a scene and because Ryoga gave his word that he'd participate. So instead she decided to stay up and wait for the Duelist to return so she could interrogate him on his whereabouts the moment he arrived. But he never came back and she didn't even realize she had fallen asleep until the very person she was waiting for woke her up earlier this morning.

It was a decision Ryoga immediately regretted. The moment Louise's eyes landed on him she promptly snapped awake and angrily began demanding to know where he had been, what he was doing, and all other sorts of questions. Her interrogation was cut short though when she caught sight of Cat Shark, who started exploring their room with child-like fascination. At first the noble girl just froze slack-jawed and Ryoga expected an even bigger outburst to occur moments later. Much to his surprise however Louise didn't react as expected, as instead of becoming more anger and confusion the pinkette squealed in delight and started to cuddle and pamper the Xyz spirit like a child with a toy on Christmas morning, much to Cat Shark's own enjoyment. Seemed she had a soft spot for cuddly cute animals.

Who knew?

After getting over the initial shock and settling Louise down Ryoga explained the situation regarding the Xyz's presence as well as the reason he didn't return last night, which was due to him working with Siesta on his act for the exhibition. While Louise was happy to hear that Ryoga had thought up a plan she was disheartened to learn that it wouldn't involve his cards like she expected, though his reasoning behind it made sense, especially with the reminder that they were trying to keep it a secret. That still didn't change her frustration for him not returning like he was supposed to. He could have at least informed her about it.

She also didn't like that he was spending more time with Siesta again, and the fact that he refused to share any information on what the two did only served to bother the pinkette and fill her with doubt and suspicion. Thankfully before the issue could escalate Louise remembered that today was when the princess was arriving, and after a quick clean up dragged Ryoga to their current location while leaving Cat Shark back in the room.

Though it seemed the issue wasn't as dropped as Ryoga hoped, as evident by Louise's current attitude. "You're ridiculous. I don't need an excuse since I did nothing wrong. You're just overreacting as usual," the Duelist said irked.

"You're the reason I'm overreacting in the first place!" Louise nearly shouted. She then gave a frustrated sigh and crossed her arms. "Honestly, it was a mistake to trust you to be on your own. Even when you're not around you still end up being a problem for me. It's like you're a beacon for trouble or something."

"More like a beacon for chaos," Ryoga muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing," Ryoga shook his head. "In any case you were the one who wanted me to come up with an idea for the stupid exhibition remember? You can't be mad at me for doing my job."

"I can be when you decide to just run off and disappear with that maid again," Louise spat out.

"Hey leave Siesta out of this. She did nothing wrong," Ryoga said sternly, not liking Louise's attitude towards his friend. "It was my decision to stay up and practice all night. She was just helping me out. In fact if it weren't for her I wouldn't have even thought up a plan, so you should be grateful to her instead of getting pissed off about it."

Louise frowned and turned away. "Sounds more like an excuse to me. You shouldn't have needed her help to begin with," she muttered. It wasn't that she hated Siesta or anything, but ever since the Mott incident Ryoga had been spending more time in the company of the maid rather than by her side as a "familiar". It made her feel uneasy for some reason, and when combined with the amount of trouble Ryoga seemed to cause every time he disappeared, it was no wonder the noble had every reason to dislike the idea of the two spending time together.

"Yeah, well I did," Ryoga stated. "And I still do. And whether you like it or not doesn't matter to me. You wanted me to win, so I'm doing what I can to make sure that happens, and that means involving Siesta."

"But that's-"

"Or would you rather lose?"

"Excuse me?" Louise growled dangerously.

Ryoga wasn't bothered by it and continued. "You can argue with me all you want on this, but it doesn't change the fact that without Siesta's help I won't be able to complete what I've got planned for tomorrow. Meaning any chance of you winning will be reduced to zero," Louise twitched at the word. "You don't have to like it, but if you want to win then you'll just have to deal with it until the exhibition is over. Heck I'll listen to whatever annoying rants you have prepared when everything's done, but for now just let it go alright?"

Louise looked ready to argue over the subject but didn't say anything as she considered Ryoga's words. The idea that a "familiar" would need help to win the exhibition, especially from a commoner of all things, was completely unheard of and incomprehensible to her. Not to mention how the other students would react to such knowledge. Despite this she really wanted to win tomorrow, and if Ryoga was telling the truth then that meant the maid's aid was necessary to achieving that victory, despite her own issues with it.

"Do you really need her help? And I mean _really_ need it?" Louise asked observing Ryoga for any signs of deception.

"I do," the former Barian replied.

Louise stared at him silently for a minute longer before finally dropping the gaze and letting out a heavy sigh. "Fine," she said reluctantly. "You're right, I don't like this one bit. But if it means winning the exhibition then I suppose I can let it go for now. But make no mistake Ryoga," she looked back up with a stern glare. "You and I are going to have a serious talk about your actions and attitude once everything's done! And expect your punishment to be increased a hundred fold!"

"Yeah yeah," Ryoga mumbled with a roll of his eyes. He knew he wouldn't get out of this without some sort of annoyance, but at least now he didn't have to worry about having Siesta help him.

"I mean really, the way you are it's a wonder how you ever survived back where you came from," Louise continued frustrated. Yet her words caused an unexpected reaction in Ryoga as he painfully flinched and looked down towards the ground, his expression turning solemn and the shadow of his bangs covering his eyes.

"I didn't."

His response was so quiet it nearly went unheard due to the surrounding chatter. But Louise heard it nonetheless and her frustration quickly shifted to confusion. Not just by the words but by how sad they sounded. He didn't? What did he mean by that?

Before she could question Ryoga a loud voice suddenly broke through the chatter of the crowd. "Princess of the Kingdom of Tristain! Her highness, Lady Henrietta has arrived!"

Everybody's attention was instantly caught as they turned towards the main gate and watched several armored knights on horseback ride through the entrance, along with several purple carriages following behind them. However the real focus was on the white-colored carriage in the middle of the group. It was larger than the others and was decorated and stylized to a Victorian era build with gold and purple designs and trims. And unlike the other carriages and knights it was being pulled by unicorns.

A sight that made Ryoga do a double take.

" _Are you fucking kidding me?"_ He questioned with twitching eyes. Dragons? Sure, he had seen more than his fair share of dragons in the past, Galaxy-Eyes being the top of that list. Weird looking and overly enlarged animals? Why not? It's not like there weren't plenty of those in Duel Monsters anyways. But unicorns…really? _"I swear this world is becoming more and more like Rio's old fantasy books."_

The carriages finally stopped before the main tower of the academy, where Osmond and the other professors were lined up in an organized and straight fashion. A maid quickly moved from the front seat of the white carriage to its' side door and opened it, allowing another maid to step out from the transport before turning and offering her hand to help someone out from inside.

And upon exiting the transport, the sight of this individual caused the entire school to go silent and stare in awe.

It was a young woman around the same age as most of the students. She wore a purple cloak and white silk dress with tight sleeves that reached up to her fingers. A small white crown could be seen upon the girl's short purple hair, and as she looked upon the masses with bright teal-colored eyes and a warm smile, everybody's hearts and voices soared. If the elegance and majesty of the girl didn't spell it out, then the sudden and loud cheering certainly did.

This was Princess Henrietta, the ruler of Tristain.

"Ah, what beauty!" Guiche praised in awe, his eyes sparkling at the majestic figure before him.

Kirche huffed. "That's the Princess of Tristain? I'm way more beautiful than her. Don't you think so?" She asked Tabitha who was beside her.

"Don't know," the blunette spoke quietly, her eyes locked into yet another book rather than the princess.

As the endless praise and worship continued to grow Ryoga tuned them out and observed the purple-haired girl. "So that's what the royalty of this world looks like huh?" he said as he took in the royal's appearance. He had to admit she was quite beautiful, and the way she held herself and looked reminded him of the royalty from Durbe's kingdom, which was to be expected since out of everyone he knew the Pegasus Knight's homeland seemed to be the closest to resemble this world in terms of appearance. And the way everyone was reacting to Henrietta's presence, even the servants, was similar to how his own people treated him, and demonstrated just how much they respected and cared for this royal. That was a good sign in his mind.

Unfortunately his thoughts didn't seem to line up with his words as Ryoga recoiled from a hard elbow delivered to his chest by Louise. "Quiet you! You're only a familiar and being rude!"

Ryoga growled and turned to snap back at the pinkette, only to pause upon seeing Louise's face.

Her smiling face.

The sight caught the water user off guard. He had seen Louise smile before, even if those times were practically nonexistent, but never as brightly as the young noble was doing so now. Her face held a silent and pristine peace to it while her eyes seemed to shine with a joy and happiness he didn't think possible given her constant glares and angry looks. It was a sight that was both shocking as it was slightly beautiful.

But what had caused it to suddenly appear? The princess? It would make the most sense given the circumstance but at the same time Louise's look was far different from everyone else's. It wasn't the same praise and fandom look everyone else had.

So what was it?

While Ryoga was busy with his thoughts Henrietta made her way to Old Osmond, who quickly kneeled down with the other professors.

"Mr. Osmond, I apologize once more for this sudden and selfish request of mine," Henrietta's soft voice greeted the man, giving a light bow to the headmaster.

"Not at all your Highness! The students and I have all been eagerly awaiting your arrival," Osmond spoke with his own head down.

"Thank you. It's just this one year, but I really wanted to watch the exhibition with my own eyes," the princess said, excitement filling her voice.

"Oh? And the reason for that is?" Osmond asked curiously.

Henrietta smiled brightly. "A personal matter."

* * *

After Henrietta's arrival the rest of the day flew by relatively quickly. The princess was provided her own private quarters, armed with her own personal guards, and night had fallen over the school once more as most took to their beds in preparation for the events of tomorrow. Louise and Ryoga remained awake though as the two discussed the topic of the Duelist leaving to the kitchen again. He explained how he was supposed to meet up with Siesta to finish some last-minute preparations and make sure everything was set for tomorrow. While Louise still had issues about Siesta she kept silent on them due to the promise from earlier. Plus if Ryoga continuing to practice meant they had a better chance of winning then she supposed she didn't mind it too much.

What she did mind however was being kept in the dark again, which Ryoga was doing since he still wouldn't share any information or demonstrate what his plan for the exhibition were. He even refused to let Louise come and watch him practice. This only served to ignite the pink-haired girl's temper again and turned their discussion into yet another heated argument.

"Why won't you tell me anything!?" Louise yelled angrily. "You're supposed to be representing me tomorrow but I don't even know what you're planning to do!"

"That's because you don't need to know," Ryoga stated, growing very agitated from having to repeat himself again for what seemed like the fifth time today.

"Of course I need to know! I can't just let you go on stage and do something I know nothing about!" Louise snapped back. "What if I don't like it!? What if the princess doesn't!? I can't let myself be humiliated in front of her!"

"Somehow I don't think you need my help to do that," Ryoga retorted, earning a fierce glare and growl from Louise. "Look you've already agreed to back off and let me do what I need to until the exhibition is over, so just settle down and relax already. It's not that big of a deal."

"I agreed to back off of Siesta, not this!" Louise exclaimed. "And it's easy for you to say it's not a big deal. You're not the one whose reputation is on the line!"

"No but I am the one who, against his better judgment, has to go on stage and entertain a bunch of children for _your_ reputation. And like you I don't exactly feel like being humiliated either," Ryoga shrugged. Truthfully he really didn't care what the students would think of his performance or if they made fun of him for it, as it wouldn't bother him like it would Louise. But he would rather avoid being pissed off by their idiocy again and sending Big Jaws out for a midnight snack.

"You have a funny way of showing it then!" Louise shouted. Her eyes lowered to the ground with worry. "You just don't get how important this is to me. You say it's not a big deal and to just relax, but I can't do that! Not when the princess will be watching, and especially not when you're hiding things from me again!"

Ryoga flinched. She had him on that one he supposed. Given his history he was far more used to keeping secrets from others rather than opening up to them. It was just in his nature as a loner. The only ones who ever managed to break that barrier were Yuma, Astral, Durbe, and Rio, all of whom showed him that he didn't have to handle everything alone. But even then he still kept to himself at times just because he found it easier to do so. But this wasn't that kind of scenario and he had to make sure Louise understood that.

"Listen, this event is about the familiar right? About displaying their talent and bond between you nobles and them," Ryoga said more as a statement than a question.

"Yeah?" Louise replied, confused as to where he was going with this.

"Well I'm not your familiar, and we definitely don't have that sort of bond, but that doesn't mean I'm going to go in half-assed and lose you know. It doesn't mean you can't trust me," Ryoga's words caused Louise to hold whatever she was about to say. Seeing he had her full attention he continued. "The reason I say you don't need to know what I'm doing isn't because I'm trying to hide things from you, but because you shouldn't have to worry about it. You asked me to help you and I agreed, so it shouldn't matter what I do or how I do it."

"But it does matter Ryoga. How can I know what you're doing will be enough? Or even what I want you to do?" Louise asked.

"You don't. And I get why you'd be concerned about that. It's not easy to trust someone when you don't know what they'll do, but you should know by know that I don't do things half-assed," Ryoga paused and glanced down to his Barian pendant. "I know I'm not the best person to get along with, and I know I haven't exactly made things easy for you lately, but you're still trusting me to help you. And while I may be a jerk at times I'm not just gonna walk away and toss your trust aside because of it. So just let me prove that to you, alright?"

Louise looked at Ryoga stunned. Of all the things she expected from him this definitely the last thing she could have imagined. Did he really want her to have that much faith in him? No, that wasn't it. It was close, but there was something else, something similar but different enough in his words that she couldn't identify. But what?

"Ryoga I-"

"Mrrow?" Before Louise could speak she and Ryoga turned to Cat Shark, who had been sleeping on its' master's hay bed, as the spirit's head suddenly shoot up and looked over to the door. Not a second later the sound of quiet knocking started to emit from it, surprising the occupants.

"A visitor?" Ryoga turned to Louise confused. She simply shook her head.

"I don't know. Sheesh, who would come here so late at night?" Louise said, annoyed that their conversation was being interrupted.

Ryoga peered back to the door with suspicion before making his way over. He grasped the handle and paused briefly before creaking it open to peek through and see who was behind it. Before he could react the door was forcefully pushed open and slammed against Ryoga's face, knocking him on his back as a figure in a dark gray cloak swiftly entered the room and shut the door behind it.

"Ryoga!" Louise shouted alarmed. She quickly drew her wand and pointed it at the cloaked figure while Cat Shark sprang up and hissed defensively. "W-Who are you!?"

Before the person could respond Ryoga kicked his leg out against the stranger's, making them lose their balance and fall back against the door. Ryoga used the opportunity to shoot to his feet and quickly leaped forward as he pinned his Duel Disk against the person's throat, causing them to gasp in shock and grasp at the device before freezing up at the cold touch of steel pressed against their stomach.

"Woah what's going on!? I was taking a nap and now I find myself threatening someone!" Derf shouted from Ryoga's grip.

"Quiet Derf!" Ryoga ordered before looking at the figure with a dangerous glare. "And you, don't try anything funny or else," he adjusted Derf's blade against the figure's stomach to emphasize. The figure didn't move and instead struggled to speak, but only grunts and chokes came from underneath the hood due to the metal disk against their neck. Ryoga held firm though so as not to be caught off guard again and lifted the hand holding Derf just enough to grasp the hood of the cloak before pulling it off.

What lay underneath however caught him and Louise completely off guard.

"P-Princess!?" Louise cried out as she stared into the face of Henrietta. Ryoga was just as surprised and quickly stepped back to release the fellow royal. She fell to her knees and grasped at her throat as she coughed hard trying to catch her breath. Louise immediately rushed to her side and kneeled beside her worried. "Princess! Oh Brimir I'm so sorry! Are you alright!? Are you hurt anywhere!? Please say something!?"

A sound emitted from Henrietta, but not a cough or gasp. It was softer, and steadily grew in noise until those in the room recognized it as laughing, perplexing both Louise and Ryoga.

"You seem…to have quite the protector…Louise Francoise," Henrietta spoke between breaths, looking up to the pink-haired girl with a smile.

"P-Princess what are y-" Louise didn't get to finish as Henrietta suddenly moved forward and pulled the smaller girl into a tight hug, catching her off guard and making her blush fiercely.

"Louise…my dear friend Louise," Henrietta whispered with a warm and loving expression, as if unaffected by what happened.

"Wait what? What's going on here? Can someone explain this to me!?" Derf yelled confused. Ryoga and Cat Shark were in the same boat as they watched the two females embrace.

Louise was the first to snap from her shock and quickly broke the hold. "You shouldn't Princess!" She declared as she got to one knee and bowed her head. "After what just happened such a kind act is unworthy of someone like me! Say the word and I will take whatever punishment you see fit and-"

"Please stop Louise Francoise," Henrietta interrupted, kneeling before Louise and placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "You know I would never punish you for something you didn't do. We are friends after all are we not?"

Louise blushed again. "Princess, you're words are too much for someone like me."

"Friends?" Ryoga muttered. His eyes then widened in realization as he put the pieces together. _"I see. So that explains it."_

Louise's desperation with winning the exhibition, her expression at the princess's arrival earlier, heck even her recent interactions and attitude towards him. They were all tired together by Louise's friendship with Henrietta. It explained everything he had witnessed from the candy-colored chibi regarding the exhibition. She wasn't just afraid of humiliating and embarrassing herself in front of the school, but of doing so in front of her friend. A friend that just so happened to be the ruler of an entire kingdom. He wasn't sure how deep their friendship was, but based on how the princess embraced and spoke to Louise in such a way, chances were it was pretty deep.

"Mrrow?" Cat Shark decided it had enough watching and flew up to the two girls curiously. "Mrrow mrrow!" The spirit called out catching Henrietta by surprise.

"Oh my! I didn't realize you got yourself a pet Louise," Henrietta said as the Duel Spirit flew around her, sniffing and poking at her clothes while it did. She giggled at the action. "And such an adorable one as well. Hello there little one. What's you're name?" She asked as she gently rubbed the spirit's head.

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark nuzzled into the palm happily.

"H-His name is Cat Shark your highness. And he's not mine, he belongs to Ryoga," Louise explained as she motioned to the Duelist.

"I see," Henrietta pulled back from Cat Shark and turned to Ryoga. "I believe a proper greeting is in order this time. I am Henrietta, Crown Princess of the Kingdom of Tristan and childhood friend of Louise," she introduced herself with a bow.

"Kamishiro Ryoga, though most call me Shark," Ryoga politely greeted back. "And I know who you are. I saw you arrive earlier with Louise. Not to mention you've been the talk of the school the past few days."

"I'm not surprised. I had hoped to keep it as secret as possible, but Cardinal Mazarin insisted otherwise," Henrietta gave a light sigh. "He dotes on me too often."

"Wish I knew the feeling," Ryoga joked with a side-glance to Louise who just glared back.

"Oy what about me? You gonna keep me out of the introduction partner? I'm hurt!" Derf complained.

"Oh!" Henrietta looked down at the weapon surprised. "I thought I heard another voice earlier but I didn't realize it was coming from your sword," she leaned closer to better observe, eyes glistening with curiosity and astonishment. "Are you perchance a sentient weapon?"

"Yup, that's me sister! Name's Lord Derflinger! Nice to meet ya!" Derf introduced himself.

"Amazing. I've never seen a sentient weapon before. It's a pleasure to meet you as well my lord," Henrietta greeted back.

"Don't give him too much attention. He'll eat it all up and be even more of a pain later on," Ryoga warned.

"Mrrow mrrow," Cat Shark nodded in agreement, despite not fully understanding but still wanting to please his master.

"Oh come on! You're guys are so mean to me!" Derf cried out. "Can't you let me get some praise from someone who knows a good blade when they see one?"

"If only there was one around," Louise muttered.

"Hey!"

Henrietta couldn't help it. She let out a merrily laugh at the interaction. "What a colorful bunch of individuals you've met Louise."

"I-It's not like that at all!" Louise quickly denied, her face flushed with embarrassment.

"You don't have to hide it from me Louise. It's good to see that you're making friends. Especially after everything that's happened," Henrietta said softly, not noticing as her eyes suddenly began to water, an action that startled everyone watching.

"Princess, you're…" Louise spoke concerned. Henrietta quickly realized what she was doing and wiped the tears away.

"I'm sorry. Ever since father passed away I haven't had anyone I could open my heart too. So seeing you here with so many new faces makes me happier than you could imagine," Henrietta said as her warm smile returned. She then guided her attention back to Ryoga. "Though I must apologize to you all for my earlier intrusion. It was not my intent to startle or scare you. I was simply trying to avoid being caught by any of the guards or students on my way here."

Ryoga nodded. "I can understand why. It's fine though. There was no harm done so no reason to worry about."

"Oh no you don't!" Louise yelled and pointed at the Duelist. "You don't get to say something like that after putting her majesty's life in danger! You should be on your knees and apologizing to her, not the other way around! In fact why are you still standing like an idiot and not bowing or showing proper respect!?"

Ryoga looked over to Henrietta who simply continued to smile. Much to her surprise though the boy's posture suddenly changed from relaxed to straight and stiff, resembling many of the noble's stances that she knew, before he sent a blank stare to Louise. "Because why should I?"

For a moment the two females thought they misheard him. It was only when Ryoga's expression didn't change that they realized they hadn't, rendering both wide-eyed and speechless. Louise recovered first as pure rage filled her being.

"Excuse me!?" She yelled furiously.

"Incase you forgot Louise I bow to no one and don't give my respect willingly. Not now, not ever. And that doesn't change even amongst members of royalty," Ryoga focused his attention on Henrietta. "I apologize for any harm I caused you earlier Princess, and you have my condolences for your father. But even if you are Louise's friend and the ruler of this land, in my eyes you're as equal as everyone else."

Ryoga knew the potential storm, and the most definite one from Louise, that he was going to unleash because of this but he didn't care. Nobody got his respect without proving themselves first, and the fact that Henrietta was the ruler of a kingdom made it even more so. She may have the people's love if the reactions from everyone earlier told him anything, but Ryoga had yet to see anything that actually proved her worth as a ruler.

Most would see his actions as disrespectful and rude, especially for judging the princess after only just meeting her, but he had done the same with all the kings and queens he met in the past. Henrietta was just the newest addition to that list. She was younger than most others yes, but so was he when he was king and had been forced to make difficult choices. Ones that showed him the cold truths and harshness of ruling a kingdom, as well as the loss of one.

In fact it was because of his youth that he had to learn early on how to judge other rulers, as most targeted him to form alliances with or take advantage of him, and he had to determine who were and weren't threats. But in the end he judged them all and they all had to fight to gain his respect, and Henrietta would be no different. Whether she was a strong noble ruler or a young girl with the naive belief of everything being fine and inconsequential was up in the air, but either way it would be his job as her senior to watch, judge, and potentially help guide her actions to determine if she was worthy of the crown that donned her head.

"Wow partner, you sure know how to pick your fights don't you?" Derflinger commented. Even he was surprised by what Ryoga was doing.

"Mrrow?" Cat Shark tilted its' head confused.

"I'll explain later furball."

"Mrrow mrrow."

"H-How dare you!? This isn't some request Ryoga! Kneel down this instant!" Louise ordered.

Ryoga remained unmoving. "No."

"Y-You-" Louise began shaking and Ryoga swore he saw a vein pop on her forehead. Before the noble could do anything rash she was suddenly stopped by the feeling of Henrietta's hand on her shoulder.

"It's quite alright Louise," Henrietta gently spoke to calm her friend.

"B-But Princess! He's being completely disrespectful and rude! He knows no manners or respect to anyone!" Louise exclaimed worriedly.

"Correction. I do know manners and respect. I just show it to those who deserve it," Ryoga retorted.

Louise hissed. "Y-You-!"

"Louise it's okay. I don't mind at all actually," Henrietta said, much to Louise's shock. "It's a bit surprising I'll admit, but it's been some time since I've had someone treat me like a normal person rather than a ruler. It feels rather nice for a change," she gave a warm smile to Ryoga. "Besides, it's not like I didn't expect something like this coming from the person who defeated Count Mott."

Louise and Ryoga froze.

"You…how do you know about that?" Ryoga asked worried. He thought Mott had kept silent after the thrashing he gave the man, but clearly that wasn't the case if the princess knew about his actions, which could lead to a lot of serious problems.

"The count made quite the complaint at the palace a few days ago. He wanted to incite punishment on someone who entered his home and assaulted him for 'taking what was rightfully his'," Henrietta explained. Ryoga's face scrunched up and his fist tightened at the words, trying to restrain the desire to find the man and turn him into fish food. "However when I discovered who that person was as well as the true reasons behind it, I made sure to handle the count properly for his actions. It caused the palace a bit of a stir, but rest assured there will be no punishment either of you have to worry about."

"T-Then Princess, the reason nothing has happened was because of you?" Louise asked stunned.

"Did you forget Louise? I promised you long ago that if you were ever in a bind I would be there for you. I am a princess for now after all," Henrietta reminded with a joyful smile.

"Princess…" Louise's eyes sparkled with happiness as she bowed once more to show her appreciation. "There is no way I could thank you for such kindness!"

As Henrietta giggled at the action a certain memory echoed through Ryoga's mind.

" _My sword will be your shield. My life your armor. My soul your blade. From this point forward, whenever you are in trouble, I will be there for you both. Nasch. Merag."_

" _Durbe…"_ Ryoga's eyes softened. Henrietta's words…they reminded him of the white knight. How he would always be there to help him and Rio as their closest ally and friend. Even during the battle against Vector, Durbe stood by his side to defend his home, even helping him to take vengeance on the mad king. And it seemed Henrietta had that same protective dedication towards Louise that Durbe had to him. It wouldn't change his future judgment of her, but it was still something to take note of regarding her personality.

It was then realization hit him.

"Hold on, you said 'when you discovered who that person was'. Does that mean you know about me?" Ryoga asked.

"Indeed," Henrietta nodded. "In truth I've been hoping to meet you for some time now. When I heard Louise had received a human familiar I very surprised but also curious to know about the kind of person she had summoned. Yet I didn't expect to find someone that stood up against the injustice of nobles despite being one himself."

"Again with that noble crap," Ryoga groaned and facepalmed. He could hear Derf chuckling at his misfortune and vowed to make the sword pay later.

"Watch your language around the princess!" Louise chastised. Just because Ryoga didn't like being called such titles didn't mean she'd allow him to use such profane language before the princess.

"It's alright Louise," Henrietta assured her friend. "And you don't have to hide it from me Mr. Ryoga. I learned all about you from the staff and students here, as well as my own special contacts. They told me all about your gift with water magic and how you summoned your own familiar in a duel against one of the students," another groan was heard, making Henrietta giggle. "You needn't worry. I haven't told anyone else about you since I want to protect my dear friend and since I know how much you seem to dislike the attention."

"No shit," Ryoga muttered. He removed his hand and shook off the annoyance as his expression turned serious. "But back to the point, if you already knew about me and my involvement with Count Mott, does that mean you also knew what he was doing?"

Henrietta's smile faded into a frown. "Unfortunately yes. We had some inkling as to what the count's true purpose of buying so many servants were, but there was never any solid evidence to pin him to it. It was actually thanks to your actions that we were able to investigate further and discover the truth about his actions, as well as that a number of nobles and commoners had been bribed to keep silent about his actions."

"Which explains how he was never caught. Money from a noble is no simple thing to turn away, especially when they've got connections," Derflinger commented.

"Agreed," Ryoga nodded, his eyes narrowing on the princess. "But even so why didn't you investigate harder? Send in a spy or something? You knew Mott was doing something yet you did nothing further to stop it. Siesta was nearly abused because of him!"

"Ryoga!" Louise shouted defensively.

"You're right," Henrietta admitted, taking Louise aback and making her look at the princess confused. "Your friend, Siesta was it? She was not the first to be taken and would not have been the last. Count Mott's status and deceit may have protected him from the law, but I am just as sinful for not doing anything about it and allowing it to go as far as it did," the princess looked down guiltily. "If I had taken a more serious approach and tried harder from the beginning then maybe this wouldn't have happened at all. I know it doesn't excuse what's already been done, but I can assure you, both of you, that such actions will not go unpunished nor will I allow them to continue. The council cannot ignore this any longer, and I intend to make sure nothing like this happens to my people again."

Her words sounded sincere and firm enough, but words meant little to Ryoga in the long run of things. Even if Henrietta didn't have proof, she still had suspicions about Mott yet allowed him to get away with such atrocities. That's not how a true leader should be acting. It was taken care of now sure, but it still pissed him off since he never would have stopped or hesitated to get the answers he needed to ensure the safety of his own people, something Henrietta clearly lacked the will to do. In the end it was all about action and keeping true to your words, and she had failed her duty as a ruler in the first. That was now one strike against her, and if she wanted to make up for it she would have to start by keeping her word and making sure no other nobles did something like this again.

"Still despite what's happened I must thank you again Mr. Ryoga," Henrietta's smile returned. "Count Mott was a poor reflection of the noble class and his status protected him for too long against the law. But because of you he has now been exposed for what he is and is getting the punishment he justly deserves."

Ryoga scoffed. "You're making it out to be bigger than it was. I simply did it because a friend of mine was in trouble, nothing more to it."

"Perhaps, but that's not such a bad thing either," Henrietta glanced over to Louise, who blushed at the implication. "Whatever the reason you still helped in this endeavor, and I hope I can count on you to continue showing that same initiative should anything else happen in the future, especially if it involves protecting Louise."

"Princess…" Louise looked stunned by the request and turned to Ryoga for his answer. He looked back and a tense stare permeated between the two, lasting nearly a full thirty seconds before being broken by the water user.

"I make no promises about her own hot-headedness," Ryoga said deadpanned.

"Hey!" Louise bristled.

"Hahahaha! He's got you there pinky!" Derflinger laughed.

"Shut up you stupid sword!"

Henrietta couldn't help but also giggle. "Truly, you have summoned an interesting and unique familiar Louise."

"On the contrary! Summoning this rude, vulgar, stubborn, and stupid jerk was the biggest mistake of my life!" Louise exclaimed.

"You ain't exactly perfect yourself hime," Ryoga retorted.

"He's got a point. Least partner admits his faults," Derf threw his two-cent in.

"Mrrow," Cat Shark nodded.

"You all!"

Henrietta's giggle turned into an open laugh.

* * *

After settling down Henrietta and Louise spent the next few hours catching up with each other and having fun, as titles and classes were forgotten and they became just two regular teenage girls. Ryoga offered to leave and give them privacy but Henrietta wouldn't have it, saying he was just as welcome to be part of their conversations since he was Louise's familiar, much to the pinkette's dislike. So he sat at his 'bed' with Derflinger and occasionally partook in the conversations while Cat Shark flew between the trio for attention. Before long the time had come for the princess to leave, as she stood in the hallway with her cloak and hood back over her shoulders.

"I'd best be going then. I don't wish to cause an uproar with the guards by staying away too long," Henrietta moved forward and hugged Louise one last time. "This was the most fun I've had in years. Thank you again Louise Francoise."

"The same goes for me, Princess," Louise returned the hug happily.

"Now that's actually adorable," Derf quietly said so as to not ruin the moment.

"Mrrow mrrow," Cat Shark agreed.

"I guess so," Ryoga chuckled. Despite all the problems of today watching these two reconnect after so long had put him in a rather good mood. Even if one of them drove him up a wall constantly.

Henrietta and Louise separated and smiled at each other before the princess turned to Ryoga. "Mr. Ryoga I-"

"Stop," the former king interrupted. "Please don't add Mr. or any other titles to my name. They make me sound old and are just stupid. Just call me Ryoga or Shark, either will be fine."

Louise sent a warning look to the Duelist but Henrietta nodded in understanding. "I see. Then Ryoga, thank you again for taking care of my dear friend. I wish you the best of luck tomorrow at the exhibition."

Ryoga was surprised by the encouragement but smirked and shrugged. "Goes without saying I believe."

Henrietta's smile seemed to brighten at the words, yet the same couldn't be said for Louise who glared at the boy with suspicion. "What's with that look?"

"What look?" Ryoga asked confused.

"That one! The one you're giving the princess! Don't look at her with such vulgar eyes you beast!" Louise accused angrily.

"Mrrow?" Cat Shark tilted his head.

"Not you furball," Derf answered.

Louise ignored them and began berating Ryoga, who just look annoyed and confused as to what he did this time. Henrietta watched the interaction silently before turning away.

"Freedom really is the best treasure of all," she said quietly, a sad smile forming on her face.

The statement was heard by the duo, making them pause and look back to Henrietta as she put her hood on and swiftly left. While Louise appeared confused by the words Ryoga's eyes softened in understanding.

That was until he remembered he was late in meeting up with Siesta.

"Fuck!"

* * *

The day had finally arrived for the Familiar Exhibition. A large stage was set up in the middle of the main courtyard for the performances to take place while a tent was located next to it for the second-years and their familiars to wait in. Several rows of chairs were lined up in front of the stage for the spectators and guest watching the event, and beside it was a smaller more regal looking tent for Henrietta and Osmond. It wasn't long before everyone arrived and all the seats were filled, and immediately afterwards the exhibition was officially kicked off.

One by one the second-years and their familiars were called on stage to show off their performance, with each one being a unique blend of beauty and style that was specific to the duo. Kirche and Flame displayed a spectacular fire show, Montmorency and Robin put together a musical dance, and even Guiche demonstrated his and Verdandi's "beauty" with several fashion poses. Each pair was just as exquisite and different as the last, some earning more praise then others, until the numbers of performances left had dwindled down to the final two, with the second to last being Tabitha and Sylphid. The bluenette soared through the air on her familiar's back as they performed a series of aerial acrobatics and stunts that left the spectators in awe, earning them the loudest reaction and applause yet.

"Impressive. Those two are definitely talented, even if one of them is a pain in the ass," Ryoga complimented, giving his own clap to the blue-colored team. Cat Shark nodded and clapped as well, having enjoyed watching the performances and seeing the other animals of this world.

Unlike Louise who looked ready to have a panic attack.

"Why did it have to be them? Why couldn't it have been Guiche or even Zerbst before us instead?" Louise muttered anxiously. It was a completely different attitude from earlier, as when the exhibition first began she showed complete confidence towards winning the event, most likely due to Henrietta's appearance last night. But as the students took to the stage and put on their acts Ryoga could see Louise's confidence begin to wane further and further, as the stress and fear of going last and having to beat every other performance before them grew. And with Tabitha's performance now having gained the loudest respons, the pinkette's confidence had all but crumbled apart as she restrained herself from finding somewhere to hide.

" _She's a wind-up box of emotions I swear,"_ Ryoga thought with a sigh. "Hey," he called out getting Louise's attention. "Just relax alright? You remember what I said last night don't you?"

Louise looked confused but quickly realized what Ryoga meant. "Y-Yeah."

"Then don't worry about it. Just go up there and handle the introduction. I'll take care of the rest."

"But what if something goes wrong? What if-" Louise stopped at the feeling of Ryoga's hand on her head.

"It'll be _fine_ Louise. Trust me," Ryoga reassured a soft smile. The action embarrassed Louise but also seemed to calm her down as she turned away with a blush.

"That was Tabitha the Snowy Wind!" Colbert suddenly announced as the bookworm and her dragon finished their performance and landed back on stage, earning another thunderous applause from the audience. The two gave a light bow and walked off while Colbert looked to the list in hand. "And for our final performance of the day, we have Miss Louise de La Valliere!"

Louise momentarily froze at the sound of her name being called before quickly snapping out of it and pulling away from Ryoga's hand. "W-Well let's get going! Just make sure you don't screw this up Ryoga!"

The Duelist smirked. "I won't."

With nothing else needing to be said the two walked onto the stage with Cat Shark following behind them. As they reached the center of the platform they heard the audience light up with whispers, as everyone became very interested in seeing what would happen with the Zero and her human familiar. Ryoga could hear a few hoping that he would pull off something similar to the Duel with Guiche, while others seemed curious about Cat Shark's presence and wondered if it would play a roll. There were also those that snickered to themselves, expecting to watch another failure of the Zero. Whether positive or negative Louise felt the immense pressure directed towards her and shook nervously, but stood tall and proud as she faced the crowd.

"My name is Louise de La Valliere," Louise announced getting everybody's attention. "Let me introduce you to the person behind me. This is my familiar, Kamishiro Ryoga, also known as Shark. He is a…a…" she suddenly hesitated. It didn't occur till now that she had no idea what class to put Ryoga under. It wouldn't seem like such a complicated thing since he was a "Duelist" back where he came from, but she couldn't announce that because they were trying to keep it a secret, not that it would have helped since Ryoga wasn't going to use his cards anyways. And while others labeled him a commoner or noble she knew he despised those titles with a passion. Which meant she had no idea what to classify him as without upsetting him or embarrassing herself.

"Go on Zero Louise!"

"Yeah, tell us all about your familiar!"

A round of chuckles emitted from the students, making Louise flinch and instinctively look away. As she did her gaze traveled over to the tent Henrietta was sitting under and caught sight of the princess. The royal seemed to be ignoring the reactions of the other students and instead had her own eyes locked onto her childhood friend's.

" _Don't worry about them. Just do your best Louise,"_ Henrietta thought with an encouraging smile, hoping Louise would understand. The action seemed to translate well enough as Louise felt her nervousness die down a bit and focused. She couldn't afford to hesitate now, not with the princess watching her, but she still needed to give a proper title to Ryoga. But what exactly?

"What are you waiting for?" Louise turned surprised to the sound of Ryoga's voice, the Duelist having his eyes closed and looking seemingly ignorant of what was going on, though she knew he was anything but. "Just tell them already. Not like it matters to me anyways," he cracked one eye open to look at her. "It's just a stupid title after all. They all… _fall_ off in time."

"Huh?" Louise looked confused as Ryoga closed his eye again. What was that about? Was he saying he didn't care what she called him? If so then why the emphasis on the word "fall"? What did that have to do with-

Wait…fall?

Louise's eyes widened. Was…was Ryoga talking about _that_ particular title? She knew it was the latest rumor spreading about him, but did he mean for her to classify him as such? Was he really alright with that? Did he even know what it meant or what would happen if she did it?

"We're waiting Louise!"

"Hurry up already!"

"We don't have all day!"

The shouts of the students grew louder. Louise knew she was running out of time and had to answer now. Deciding to trust Ryoga's words and giving a silent prayer to Brimir, she turned to the audience and steeled her nerves for what she was about to do. "My familiar…he is…a fallen noble!"

A pause of silence filled the air as everyone processed Louise's words. It didn't last long as laughter began cracking through the air.

"A fallen noble!? That's what he is!?"

"As expected of the Zero to summon something like that, hahaha!"

"But still, isn't that guy the one who thrashed Guiche a few weeks back?"

"That was probably just a fluke. I doubt she even summoned that guy!"

"Yeah, and even if she did it just means he's better at magic than she is!"

"Yeah, she is a Zero after all!"

The laughter grew as the students continued to mock Louise, making her tremble as her courage began to shatter. It was happening again, just like in the duel with Guiche. The same emotions she felt when she was exposed for not completing the contract, the desire to do nothing more than to just run and hide from them all, it was growing inside her once more from the students verbal assault.

 _"NOTHING!"_

" _ZERO THE NOTHING!"_

The horrible memories began to play in Louise's mind as she shut her eyes tight to try and block them. She couldn't let this happen again! Not now! Not in front of the princess!

 **SHINK!**

The sound of a blade being drawn suddenly halted the laughter as well as the memories. Louise opened her eyes confused to see what happened and immediately spotted Ryoga standing in front of her, having impaled Derflinger into the stage floor and drawing the spotlight directly on him.

"Now that I have your attention," Ryoga spoke with a voice that was almost too calm to be natural. "As my _master_ said, my name is Kamishiro Ryoga, and today I'm here to entertain you sorry lot for the Familiar Exhibition. But it seems there are a few in the audience who have either become so bored with the event that they're trying to lighten the mood with humor, or they simply have the audacity to insult someone that is trying to put their best effort forward despite the odds," his eyes narrowed dangerously while Cat Shark hissed angrily beside him, both actions making several students flinch back nervously. "Now I could care less which reason it is, and I doubt you care either way about what you're doing. But for those particular individuals I have just a few simply words."

Ryoga closed his eyes and stood silently for a moment, only to then snap a pair of ice-cold orbs towards the crowd.

"Shut up, before I make you."

Nobody said anything, whether out of fear or bewilderment at the cold words of the boy in front of them. Louise couldn't believe it herself. He did it again. Once again Ryoga stood up for her despite all the trouble she caused him without any hesitation. And just like before she could feel her heart almost stop for a moment from the act.

She was not the only one surprised as Henrietta watched the event with wide eyes. She had always been one to stand up for her childhood friend and protect her whenever possible, but as they got older their friendship had to be kept secret from the other families for their protection, making it impossible to for her to help Louise against the bullying and insults of the other students. But this was the first time she had seen someone outside the Valliere family protect the pink-haired girl in such a way. Of course she expected such a thing from Ryoga given he was Louise's familiar, even though she was also surprised and a bit confused by the fallen noble title, but it still brought a smile to her face to finally witness someone else standing up for her friend.

Ryoga's eyes scanned over the mass of students, as if daring any of them to stand against him or make another snark remark. After seeing nobody brave enough to do so the former Barian pulled Derflinger out from the stage floor. "Sorry about that Derf."

"Ah don't worry partner. Was worth seeing them nobles be put in their place," Derflinger chuckled. "Now let's kick some ass!"

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark agreed.

Ryoga smirked and nodded before facing the crowd. "Now then, for my little 'performance' I have decided to do things a bit differently. You see despite being a 'fallen noble' I'm not actually going to do anything related to magic or nobility," his statement caught everyone by surprise. "Instead what I plan to do is show off a different kind of skill. One that is found amongst many individuals, but requires a special touch to master. It will also require the use of several pieces of equipment from the academy as well as the aid of certain individuals to help me out. As such I have invited these individuals to stand with me on stage as my assistants for this event."

"Assistants?"

"Is that even allowed?"

Such questions resonated from the audience but Ryoga paid them no mind and instead directed his attention to the left corner of the stage, where hiding just behind the curtains was Siesta. The maid smiled at him and gave a firm nod of her head, which he returned in understanding before she disappeared under the curtains. Ryoga looked back to the crowd and raised a hand to the air, his fingers set in a snapping motion.

"So without further ado, let's give a warm welcome to my helpers!" Ryoga grinned. "I summon, the servant staff of Tristain Academy of Magic!"

At the snap of his fingers the curtains of the stage suddenly flew open to reveal an entire line of kitchen chefs and maids, much to the shock of those watching. Even Louise's eyes widened in disbelief as the commoners line up behind her and Ryoga, noticing each one was holding a specific tool for cooking, from cauldrons, to kitchen knives, to food baskets, and other such tools.

"Oh hoh? Now this is certainly different," Osmond said with intrigue. Leave it to the boy from another world to do something beyond the norm.

Henrietta was just as fascinated. She expected Ryoga to come up with something unique seeing as he was a human familiar, but this was beyond anything she had expected. It made her extremely excited to see what would happen next.

While the audience tried to comprehend what was happening Ryoga checked on those that had gathered. Each one had a look of positivity about them and gave him a nod to signify their readiness. To his left he spotted Marteau giving a big thumbs up, while directly in front of him was Siesta, whose face was bright red but her eyes filled with confidence, something that made him smile.

"Mrrow mrrow?" Cat Shark looked to its' master for confirmation.

"Yeah. This will be enough," Ryoga confirmed, turning to address the crowd once more. "Now then, I believe it's time to show you my 'talent'. You see back where I come from we have a special delicacy that is well known and loved by many, but is rather difficult to produce because of how much time and careful preparation it takes. I just so happened to master this recipe, and when I learned it didn't exist in this kingdom I simply _had_ to correct such an error," Ryoga chuckled at the looks of disbelief sent towards him. "That's right, my talent is going to be cooking. But what I'm going to make is no ordinary meal, as it takes days to create even one perfect bowl. Which is why I've asked for the assistance of the kitchen staff to help me in completing this meal in time for all of you. A meal that will blow your fucking minds. What is this meal you may ask? Well I don't know what you people would call it here, but where I come from…"

Ryoga's mouth split into his signature shark-toothed grin.

"We call it Tonkotsu Ramen."

* * *

As the events outside were going on a cloaked female figure appeared before the giant doors of the school vault, a wicked smirk etched across their lips.

* * *

 ***Blows down door with a shotgun and walks in* I said I'd be...wait I did this joke already. And Halloween's already over...meh *shrugs and tosses off costume.**

 **Hey guys! Miss me!? *dodges knife thrown at head*...okay I deserved that. 0.0**

 **I know I know, it's been almost two months since my last update, and I'm sorry it took so long. It was just a bad combination of a ton of work I've had over the month, even more work now, and add in FUCKING WRITERS BLOCK WITH THIS CHAPTER! GAH! The writers block was the fucking worst man! I hated it, I hated it so much. But I FINALLY managed to complete it, and thank Kami for it because...god I hated this chapter for the writers block.**

 **Anyways, I'll still be busy so I can't promise when next update will be, since I need to refresh my ideas and research, but I will try and get out the next chapter sometime before the end of this year, hopefully by the end of this month. It's gonna be tough cause of the work I'm doing, but I'll try my best.**

 **Also...I HAVE OVER 50 FAVORITES NOW! XD I'M SO HAPPY! THIS MADE THE CHAPTER ALL WORTH IT! SPECIAL THANKS TO ZFLAME1 FOR BEING MY 50TH FAVORITE! *blows party favors and has cake* And I'm just 1 away from having 50 follows as well! This is awesome haha!**

 **Also I hope you all enjoyed the special surprise at the end of the last chapter. For those wondering it's my second idea for a crossover between Highschool DXD and Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal. If I had more freedom and time I would write it, but I still would need to reread/watch all of DXD first to get the full story. But the idea stems from Kaito ending up in the DXD world after his assistance in defeating Don Thousand. Meaning yes, like Ryoga he entered this world after he died. And as you can see, he's on the side of *Gasp* the Fallen Angels!?**

 **Well kind of. As I said I don't have full idea planned, but he would be entering the world and going through events from a different perspective, all while drawing the eyes of many individuals, including a certain dragon god and cat criminal, as well as Raynare and her group. If I ever get the time I will definitely write it, and if not I hope to pass it along to someone else one day.**

 **Now onto the reviews!**

 **Touhou is Life: Dude, that song you labeled out describes me with this chapter SO MUCH. Thank you man, I appreciate the support and am glad you enjoyed the chapter.**

 **Sekishiki: So I hear you're going to Synchro Dimension...have fun *grins widely*. Glad you enjoyed Cat Shark, as so worried if he wouldn't end up right, and I hope I can have him do more and be more fun in the future. And yeah while the exhibition would be easy to win with the cards, don't forget he's trying to keep that as secret as possible. Plus...it would just seem so expected. Everyone does something related to what most people know them ass, but why not have them do something nobody expects?**

 **Why Tonkotsu Ramen though of all things and how does it relate to Ryoga? Well that'll be explained in next chapter so don't worry.**

 **Hope you enjoyed the Henrietta and Ryoga interaction. As you said they're two very different rulers, and now Ryoga will be watching how Henrietta rules and will judge her actions since he is her senior. He needs to know if she will be good to her people or have the guts to do what's necessary to do what's necessary. Will this bring conflicts in the future? Possibly, but we'll wait and see on that.**

 **SO glad you liked the DXD and Zexal idea. Gave the description of it above but I'm glad you really enjoyed it. I agree Zexal deserves more love. It had issues yes, but so does every series, and I liked seeing the characters grow from their one dimensional states to more in depth and complex people, and how they struggled with the understand of bonds, truths, and what is considered right and wrong. Ryoga was always one of my favorites in this regard, which is why I thought he'd be best in this world, just like I feel Kaito would be in DXD. Hopefully one day I can see if I'm right.**

 **As for your story, I have tried to read it...but the problem is I don't know the language T.T I'm so sorry man. I wish there was a translate button on fanfic, then I'd be happy to read it. Sorry.**

 **Moo: So I can imagine. I have a thing for characters seen as secondary or non existent, because it allows me to delve into their stories and make whatever I want for them. And in this case Katie will be taking a larger role than in the original. How much and how soon will be shown in time, but I liked the idea of this first year noble who is kind and innocent helping someone like Ryoga, showing the good qualities of nobility like how Siesta shows them for the commoners. Haven't figured out full plans for her yet, but I'm always open to ideas for the future.**

 **Guest: ANOTHER LOVER OF CAT SHARK, YAY! Hope you liked this chapter!**

 **And that's it. Like I said no idea when I'll get the next chapter will be. Could be the same amount of time, could be less, could be more. But I will definitely have it up before the end of the year. Until then, enjoy yourselves, hope you had a happy halloween, and hope for a good thanksgiving and christmas and new years and whatever else you celebrate if I don't see you.**

 **"Mrrow!" *Cat Shark comes in and points to something***

 **Oh right! I forgot. I have another present for you guys for my 50th favorite. It's another crossover idea similar to the one I showed last chapter.**

 **So let's show it! Until next time my friends! Hit it Cat Shark!**

 **"Mrrow!" *the spirit nods and hits play button***

* * *

The ground erupted into smoke and debris, the sounds of clashing blows echoing through the air as the cloudy night sky boomed overhead. A fight, no, a _war_ was going on down in the middle of the city. A war between two souls that were fighting for the same reason.

To protect the life of a pure-hearted individual.

From a pillar of smoke a figure leaped backwards and landed upon the concrete. The figure was male, and wore a punk-styled outfit with a dull green formal shirt and dark blue tie, and a dark blue pants and black boots. Draped across the shoulders was a black cape-like garment with ripped sleeves and edges, along with a long red scarf wrapped around his neck that barely concealed a black spiked choker. A pair of similarly spike wristbands were also seen, as well as a smaller scarf tied around his right arm.

The most odd thing about the figure however was his head. The face was hidden behind a dark gray mask with sharp rectangular goggles covering the eyes, while his hair was dark black with light purple highlights and swept in a upwards fashion to the right.

The masked individual suddenly leapt to the side as a series of white colored veils shot from the smoke and impaled the spot where he originally stood. Suddenly another figure leapt from the smoke and charged at the masked individual, as more veils shot out from behind to impale the opponent. The masked figure flipped backwards and leapt high into the air as the attacks shattered the ground below, before grabbing onto a pipe from a nearby building and hanging from it.

Looking down the opponent of the masked figure could be seen in what little light the night had. It was a beautiful well-endowed woman with long dark brown hair that was partially tied to the left. Her clothing was not so complex as the masked individuals, consisting of only pure white silk that seemed to cover only the essentials and limbs of the woman, and a long piece of white veil that surrounded her body.

The woman looked up with dark brown eyes at the masked figure and growled. She swung the veil forward and watched as it soared towards the enemy. The masked male pushed off the building just before the attack struck, and recoiled himself off another building towards the woman. She swiftly brought the veil back as it formed a barrier in front of her and took the kick hurled at her. The force caught her off guard and made her skidded back slightly, but she held her ground and swung her veil in a slashing motion. The masked man ducked under the strike and made to move only for another piece of veil to grab onto his ankle and slam him down.

Not wasting the chance the woman called several pieces of veil and formed them into drill-like spears. She aimed them above her enemy's head and lunged them forward. Seeing the danger the masked figure suddenly brought up his left arm which had upon it a dark purple machine, as a similar colored blade of energy formed from the device and sliced through the veil holding him. He then quickly pushed off his hands and legs and back flipped off the ground, dodging the drills just as they impaled the ground before him.

"Just hold still dammit!" The woman shouted as she flung more veils out. The figure didn't respond back and just used the energy blade to slice through the veils while dodging as well. Growing infuriated the woman leapt forward and wrapped the veil around her arms into drills.

She landed before the masked and swung the weapons forward as the masked figure did the same with the energy blade. The attacks collided and sent a powerful shockwave through the area, causing the ground below to crack and the nearby streetlights and building windows to shatter. The two glared at each other before pulling back their attacks, only to charge once more.

Energy blade and veiled cloth clashed with each, always striking the others weapon but never hitting the other person. It wasn't that they were incompetent and couldn't aim, but something else was guiding their attacks Something beyond the combat.

"You can't do it can you?" The masked figure suddenly spoke.

"Excuse me!?" The woman growled. Her veil clashed against the blade once more with ferocity, knocking her opponent back only for him to safely land on his feet.

"Your attacks...they lack the desire to kill," the male said calmly. "I know all to well the feeling. I've seen it before. Felt it upon my skin. But you're not trying to-"

"Shut up!" The woman shouted as she flung several veils out.

"I activate two Phantom Knights Shadow Veil from my graveyard!" The masked figure declared as he tapped his device.

Suddenly two dark magical runes formed on the ground as from each a black horse and rider formed, each wearing golden armor but with the horse's hair and hooves emitting blue flames, which the riders entire body seemed to be made of as well. The knights each pulled out a red sword and swung down as blue flames erupted and burned through the veil attacks before charging at the woman, whose eyes widened as she brought her arms up to defend. The attacks collided as the woman screamed in pain and was flung backwards, crashing into the ground painful.

"Uzume!" The masked figure called out.

A crack of lighting formed in the sky as the clouds rumbled. Rain began to down pour over the city as the woman, Uzume, winced and pushed herself up shakily from the concrete.

"I can't lose here...I can't..." Uzume muttered as she faced the boy and his knights. "I have to beat you...for Chihio's sake. I have too."

The masked figure lowered his energy blade. "We're fighting for the same thing Uzume. I want to protect her as well."

"But you can't!" Uzume shouted angrily. "You can't do it! Only I can! I'm the only one who can save her! I'm the one that can protect her! I...I..." she trembled and hugged herself. "I can't lose her...I can't...she's my reason for living, and I'm hers. I just..."

"You're not alone though Uzume, you know that!" The masked male shouted. "The people at Izumo Inn care for you! Love you! Musubi, Minato, Miya, Kazehana, all of them! They would help you at a moment's notice if you just told them what was going on!"

"And then what!? Drag them into the same hell I'm forced to live!? Have them be hunted down by Higa!? I can't do that!" Uzume protested. Her gaze looked down to the puddle forming before her, her teared up reflection staring back at her. "I won't have them brought into my hell...I won't do that to them..."

"So you'd rather make them your enemy? You'd rather toss aside the aid of your friends and serve that bastard?" The male asked, his voice sounding sorrowful. "You'd rather commit yourself to hell then trust them...then trust me?"

Uzume flinched and gave a broken smile. "If it means protecting Chiho..." she looked back up and armed her veil once more. "Then yes."

Lighting struck as the two stared at each other, Uzume's broken gaze against the cold emotionless mask.

"So be it," the male whispered. He raised an arm to the sky. "I Overlay my two Level Four Phantom Knights Shadow Veil!"

The two knights let out battle cries as they and their horses turned into masses of dark light. The lights soared through the air as lighting cracked along the sky. Uzume watched, fear in her face but also determination and will as the lights crashed into the ground and formed a dark galaxy like vortex.

"Fangs of pitch-black darkness..."

A dark purple tail formed with twin hook like blades at the end.

"...rise up against the foolish oppression!"

Purple arms extended out with four clawed hands, as a large silver blade extended from each elbow. Similarly color and styled wings formed from the back and flapped against the rain and sky.

"Descend now!"

A head formed, long and slender with a large hooked blade extending from the bottom chin.

"XYZ SUMMON!"

The portal exploded as the rest of the figure formed. Its' color was dark purple and black with silver along the armor and blades. Its' feet were large and shaped similarly to the twin hooked tail. Its' limbs were thick and armored along with the chest, while the neck and tail were long and flexible like it's head. Purple orbs could be seen embedded within the joints of it's wings, which looked more metallic and mechanical in nature, as well as the tip ends and blades on it's elbows. And finally its' head had a pair of curved horns pointed backwards, it's teeth were tusk-like and sharp, and it's eyes glowed a with a powerful golden color.

"Come forth! Rank Four! Dark Rebellion, XYZ DRAGON!"

The dragon let out a vicious roar as lighting shattered across the sky behind it, as if signaling the harbinger of the end.

But Uzume knew better. It wasn't a harbinger of the end. No, that wasn't the title given to the boy before her, nor his dragon.

He was a savior. To her race he was a hero, able to free those imprisoned against their will and allow them to find the ones truly meant for them. To find their Ashikabi, even though he himself wasn't one or involved with Minaka's sick game.

He was the one doing the impossible. The one leading the rebellion against the Sekirei Plan. The one who fought the Discipline Squad leader and came out victorious. The one being called the Dark Ashikabi, the Sekirei Hero, the Dragon Summoner.

But most of all...he was a knight. A knight that saved others from the shadows. A knight that embraced the dark so he could pull others out of it.

 _"And if things were different...maybe you could have been the knight that saved Chiho..."_

"Here I come...Uzume."

The lightning flashed to reveal a single purple eye staring through the mask.

"Heh...bring it on...Yuto."

Dark Rebellion roared and charged at Uzume as she did the same.

 _"Maybe...you could have saved me..."_

* * *

 **End**


	18. A Most Unfortunate Show

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works.

* * *

If someone were to ask what ramen was, the answer they'd usually receive would be something like "it's Japanese noodles". And generally speaking, that answer was correct.

To Ryoga however it had once been more than that.

After the car crash that orphaned him and Rio during their Heartland lives, the two were forced to leave their home and were sent to live in an orphanage just outside the city, as they had no other living family to care for them. Despite being welcomed with open arms by their new caretakers and the other orphans, the tragedy of the accident continued to haunt the siblings in the form of horrific panic attacks and frequent night terrors, which were only broken by the constant presence of each other, preventing them from being separated for extensive periods of time.

Not that Ryoga planned to leave his sister's side after what happened, but after continuously experiencing these attacks and witnessing them affect his sister's health, his eyes became opened to just how scarred the both of them now were. Their lives would never return to what it once was, and he quickly understood how much responsibility and burden was now placed upon his shoulders as the elder sibling. He couldn't, _wouldn't_ , allow the memories of the accident to control their lives, and to do so he would have to become stronger. Strong enough that he could protect Rio from any similar tragedies in the future, so that one day she could move on from the nightmares and pain and live a happy and peaceful life.

It was this conviction that led Ryoga to the art of cooking. Despite being eight-years-old at the time the young Duelist was a lot smarter and more perceptive than most children his age, most likely due to his previous incarnations, and quickly adapted to the lessons taught by the caretakers. He learned a variety of different skills such as how to properly clean around the orphanage, set his own laundry, even do a bit of gardening by himself. It may have been grueling at times, but he bore through the trials without complaint so long as it gave him what he needed to take care of Rio. The lessons he paid the most attention to however were those surrounding the kitchen and making his own meals, as he wanted to ensure that Rio lived a healthy life rather than just survive on microwaveable foods and sweets. He took these lessons far more seriously than the others, and pushed himself to learn everything he could about it.

Of course, being as young as he was didn't make the task easy. He may have possessed instinctual past experiences but he still retained a child's mind and body, which resulted in his first few self-attempts producing many failed creations, accidents, self-injuries, and even one time nearly setting the kitchen on fire. But overtime he got better at the craft, and much to his surprise found himself spending as much time in the kitchen as he did Dueling. The constant focus and preparation needed to make each meal was similar to the focus required for the card game, allowing him to keep his mind at ease and his body relaxed whenever he felt troubled or uncertain. It was a pleasant feeling that also transferred to Rio when she joined him in his lessons, with her taking the healthy foods approach far better than he could. And with the two supporting each other they became a well-versed cooking team capable of producing a variety of exquisite dishes for themselves and the orphanage.

One of which being a special recipe of Tonkotsu Ramen that Ryoga created himself.

The same recipe he had chosen to use for the Familiar Exhibition.

* * *

"Make sure that oil isn't heated too fast or it'll burn! Siesta, check the broth again! We don't want it cooling down! Marteau start cooking the pork! Slow and low burn only, remember that!"

The shouting of Ryoga's voice could be heard from atop the exhibition stage, where he and his newfound kitchen staff, along with Cat Shark, rapidly worked to create the Duelist's special dish. The stage, which had once been relatively vacant of any accessories or decor, was now filled to the brim with dozens of tables and benches, each holding an assortment of kitchen utensils and equipment along with a wide variety of delicious looking food, transforming the once empty platform into that of a makeshift kitchen. Beside the stage several small fire pits were set up and burning away at the large metal pots and cauldrons placed over them, boiling the water and cooking the food placed inside.

As the cooking went on Ryoga could be seen delivering orders to his fellow chefs and instructing them on what to do next and where to go, whether it be working on another step of the recipe or lending their assistance to someone else, displaying a level of command and leadership that many wouldn't have expected from someone his age. The surprise only grew when the staff members not only followed the boy's orders without question, but did so with bright smiles and positive attitudes. It was no secret that Ryoga didn't have the best kind of relationship with the servants, what with them always keeping their distance and never engaging in direct conversation with him. There were even times where they outright left the area whenever he approached.

Now however it felt like the complete opposite, as they didn't shy away from his presence and openly spoke to him as if he were an old friend. Even the look in their eyes seemed different, no longer viewing the purple-clad teen with fear or hesitation, but instead complete trust and respect.

It was these sights along with everything else going on that left the audience dumbfounded. Never before had something like this happened during a Familiar Exhibition, which on the fair side was somewhat expected seeing as Ryoga continued to build a reputation of constantly defying the norm, much like his chibi master. Yet his actions were less than desirable for them to be accepted, especially with what was currently happening. Not only did he bring commoners onto a stage that was reserved solely for nobles, but he was also having them assist him in his "performance" when he should have been doing this event by himself. It didn't help that his choice of cooking was something many felt wasn't a real talent to begin with, as Ryoga even stated that anybody could learn it, so it wasn't something unique to him alone like his summoning of Big Jaws. This combined with his previous actions and attitude made it feel like he was simply mocking the event and the effort of all previous performances, slighting the nerves of many students and even a few of the professors.

Despite these thoughts however nobody appeared to be putting up any sort of protest against the Duelist's actions. Not because of his earlier threat, which many wouldn't admit their nervousness towards, but because despite how unethical, absurd, and even insulting the situation may have been, everyone was far too invested in what was going on to put a stop to.

It was the same reasoning back when Ryoga dueled Guiche. Nobody cared that it was against the rules for a noble to duel a commoner. They were simply curious about the turn of events and wanted to see what the end result would be. Not that anyone expected him to actually have a chance of winning. But when he did exactly that, he not only surprised everyone by defying the odds, but those who previously dismissed him as nothing more than a commoner now had their full attention on the boy. And when the exhibition began to roll around the students and staff alike kept their eyes watchfully open, waiting to see if Ryoga's victory was merely a fluke, or if he would once again defy the odds and impress them with his performance. And it was that very interest that kept the concerns and arguments withheld for the time being.

It also helped that as the cooking continued a delicious yet unrecognizable aroma emitted over the crowd, captivating their taste buds and overwriting their thoughts with watering mouths and growling stomachs.

"Oh my, that smells heavenly," Kirche complimented as she took in a deep whiff of the scent. "I don't think I've ever smelt something so flavorful before. Who knew darling was such an expert in the kitchen? It makes me want to have him even more now," she licked her lips in desire at the thought of Ryoga personally cooking for her.

"It's certainly…unique to say the least," Montmorency reluctantly admitted. As a brewer of potions her nose was keener than most on being able to detect and identifying certain smells, and the ones coming from the stage were quite alluring despite being unknown to her. "But even so is it really alright to allow this to go on?"

"What do you mean?" Guiche asked his fellow blonde.

Montmorency shot the playboy a look of disbelief. "What do I mean? Look at the stage Guiche!" She waved her hand towards the platform. "Do you not _see_ the servants running around up there? This is supposed to be an event for nobles and familiars, not a bunch of commoners! Yet here we are just sitting back and watching this happen as if it were a normal thing!"

"I never said it wasn't. In fact I hardly think anyone here would consider it to be such," Guiche said looking around, seeing the varied expressions of the other students.

"And why should they?" Kirche asked smirking. "This is darling we're talking about after all. When has anything he's done ever been considered 'normal' by our standards? Or have you already forgotten the thrashing he gave you Guiche?"

Her words cut deep into the casanova as he gained a pained look and hung his head defeated. "I'd rather not be reminded thank you," Guiche muttered, trying very hard to push away the memories of Big Jaws. Montmorency shook her head at the pitiful display while Kirche chuckled in amusement.

"In any case I don't see what the big deal is," the Germanian shrugged. "Even if it is a bit out of place it's not like darling's breaking any rules or anything."

"Technically yes, but that's only because we've never had something like this happen before," Montmorency retorted. "If this keeps going there's no telling what kind of backlash will be produced from it. It could cause a lot of unrest and conflict in the school."

"Sounds exciting if you ask me," Kirche said enthusiastically.

Montmorency released a tired sigh. "You're hopeless."

"Oh come on it'll be fine. I mean it's not like professors are doing anything to stop darling's performance, so there shouldn't be any problems right?" Kirche motioned over in the direction of the teachers, showing that they were in fact holding their ground and not trying to intervene with the events on stage. "So I say we just sit back and enjoy the show. And hey, maybe if we're lucky maybe we'll even get the chance to try out this Tanko…Toku..." the redhead frowned. Try as she might she couldn't remember the exact pronunciation of the meal Ryoga was making, and that was saying something considering she was well versed in a variety of odd and lengthy names and titles. It didn't help that the name sounded quite foreign and came from her darling's homeland, a place he's never even spoken of now that she thought of it.

"Tonkotsu Ramen," the answer surprisingly came from Tabitha, who had been quietly reading till now and seemed to be the only person uninterested in what was occurring.

"Right, that was it! Tonkotsu Ramen!" Kirche's eyes lit up with joy as she hugged her friend tightly. "Thank you Tabitha! You're always so helpful to me!"

Tabitha gave no reply and ignored the tight hold as she turned to the next page of her book, though not before her eyes briefly glanced up towards the stage, an unknown emotion flashing through them as they locked onto Ryoga's form.

Sitting just behind the group Katie also watched the Duelist at work, her own eyes filled with awe as her mouth curved into a wide and joyous smile. Since the previous conversation she had with Sir Ryoga she had been eagerly awaiting to see what kind of performance he would put on for the exhibition, and much to her satisfaction all expectations she had were completely blown away. Like everyone else she'd never heard of this "ramen" recipe, but it didn't lessen the surprise of discovering Sir Ryoga's talent for cooking. Not to mention how he managed to turn the entire stage into a workable kitchen and even got the academy servants to help him out. And while most of the other students didn't know what to make if it, she simply felt her admiration for the purple-clad teen continue to grow, as he once again demonstrated just how different he was compared to everyone else.

Not because of his skills or talents, though both were to be just as admired, but because of his confidence and individualism. No ordinary person would have had the courage to try and pull off such actions before a crowd of nobles, let alone succeed at it, and yet there he was doing just that without any fear or hesitation. And the way he stood and acted before the crowd, the firm and serious look his face held to it, made the brunette's heart flutter with a foreign yet strangely familiar sensation.

Ever since Sir Ryoga defeated Guiche something had awoken in her. A new emotion she couldn't identify. She felt it stirring even now just from watching him on stage. The same feeling she got whenever she conversed with him or saw his face. It was the reason she didn't care if he was breaking the rules or worry about how the other nobles viewed his actions. She didn't understand what this feeling was nor could she explain it, as it went beyond the admiration and respect she had for him while feeling nothing like the blinded lust she once held for Guiche. But that was fine by her since she liked this new feeling far more, and if she could continue to feel it just from being able to watch Sir Ryoga or be near him then she had absolutely no issues with it.

It wasn't a problem either that he was quite handsome, a thought that made Katie's cheeks flush with embarrassment.

Meanwhile underneath the royal tent, Osmond and Henrietta were engaged in a discussion about the unique turn of events caused by the Zero's Familiar.

"I must say in all my years never have I witnessed something quite like this. That boy certainly knows how to put on a show doesn't he?" Osmond said stroking his beard, an amused chuckle escaping his lips.

"Indeed. I never thought I'd ever see servants be used in a talent show before. It certainly caught me by surprise," Henrietta giggled. Her smile then seemed to drop a little as she gained a concerned look. "Though I do hope this won't cause problems for the other students. I'd hate for the festivities to be ruined because of it."

"Bah, if there were an issue I would have already sent someone to stop it," Osmond waved the concern off. "If people can't learn to appreciate creativity then I worry for future generations. Frankly I think this display is something that is sorely needed, and will be quite educational for the students."

"Educational?" Henrietta inquired, her curiosity being peaked. "How so if I may ask?"

Osmond hummed in thought for a moment before answering. "Well your highness you may not be aware of this, but once long ago the exhibition was used for more than just showing off a student's familiar. It was actually designed to help teach them an important life lesson. That nobody, no matter their status or skill, can handle everything alone," the headmaster looked away from the stage to the crowd of students. "Nobles though they may be, they are all still students, and more importantly, children. They are young and brash, and most of them unaware that just because they have magic at their side doesn't mean they're invincible. Magic can't solve everything, despite some noble's arguments to the contrary, and one day these children will be faced with a challenge that their magic can't get them out of. It is in those moments that they will need the help of others in order to overcome the problem."

Osmond held out his hand as his familiar peeked out of his sleeve, its' nose twitching a bit before it crawled out into his palm.

"The familiar contract serves as a sort of guide in this by giving the students a partner that can stand by their side as an equal and aid them in times of need. Eventually they would come to understand that this lesson applies to more than just the familiar, but to those they carry close to their heart. Whether they be family, friends, or something more," Osmond scratched the ear of Motsognir, earning a pleased squeak from the mouse. "That isn't to say some students aren't aware of this lesson already. In fact I'm sure there are plenty of families who drill such teachings into their heads. But even then what most of them don't, and sometimes won't realize, is that it doesn't apply just to their familiars or to other nobles, but to everyone. Even the commoners."

Henrietta nodded in understanding. "But of course. Despite our difference in stature we all live in this world and support it and each other. Without that support we would surely collapse. Even I would be nothing were it not for the aid of those I trust and care for."

Osmond gave a light chuckle. "As expected of you Princess. You understand this lesson quite well, being of the role you are and the burdens you carry," Henrietta smiled at the praise given. "But yes, it is that very lesson that was intended to be taught to the students during the exhibition, with their new familiars being the ones to guide them in that understanding," Osmond's face shifted into a more solemn look, the cheerfulness seeming to fade away as he looked to the sky. "But alas nothing is every that simple. Much has changed since those days and many noble families have forgotten the true meaning behind this event, now seeing it as just another festivity for their children to win. I have tried my best to rekindle the teachings of the exhibition, but even I am aware that many of the students won't listen to the words of an old man like myself. And even then, those that do may never truly grasp the concept behind it."

Osmond turned away from the sky and focused back on the stage, catching sight of Ryoga once more as the Duelist assisted one of the cooks.

"And yet it seems fate has a most ironic sense of humor. That boy doesn't even realize it, but his current actions are a perfect representation of the original teachings of the exhibition. He wasn't afraid to seek out others for help, ignoring the very concept of their social class, nor did he hesitate in having them walk alongside him, treating them all as equals rather than mere servants. He probably doesn't even consider any possible repercussions he'd face for such actions. For someone like him to have a clearer understanding of this lesson than any student, it certainly says something about his character doesn't it?"

Henrietta looked to Ryoga, her lips curling into a gentle smile. "It certainly does," she softly agreed.

From the moment he pinned her against Louise's door to the moment she left that night, the boy named Ryoga had certainly left an impression on her. The way he spoke, the way he acted, everything about him seemed to scream just how much of an enigma he was. He didn't seem to care for titles or names, addressing her and Louise as if they weren't even nobles, and had even openly judged her actions in dealing with Count Mott, something no ordinary person would have ever dared do.

Her royal status had always put the regal beauty on a high pedestal that everybody saw as far beyond themselves. They treated her less like a ruler and more like an idol, always believing she could do no wrong, rather than see the teenage girl beneath it all who could be just as uncertain and hesitant over what to do as anyone else. Even her dear Louise had started treating her differently from when they were children, seeing herself as unworthy and lesser in Henrietta's presence. Something the royal couldn't stand. While there were times such attitude and respect was necessary, she didn't want that from Louise. She just wanted her best friend to treat her as just that, a _best friend_. But no matter how hard she tried to get that message across, Louise always seemed to revert back to the same attitude as before every time they reunited.

So it came as an unexpected yet welcome surprise when Ryoga had done none of this. Quite the opposite actually, treating her as an ordinary person on equal level to him instead of a princess. Something that while angered her dear Louise, brought Henrietta great joy and relief. To find someone who didn't treat her any differently because of who she was made her feel a sense of nostalgia she hadn't felt since her and Louise were but toddlers. Not only that, but Ryoga continued to impress her by showing that he wasn't afraid to speak his mind, possessed some level of skill in self-defense based on how fast he pinned her against the door, held a level of intelligence and understanding that was rarely seen even amongst the higher nobles, and even now was displaying a quality of leadership with the academy servants that reminded her of her most loyal captain.

Add onto all this that he was the very person who would be watching over and protecting her best friend, even being able to match and tame the pink-haired girl's temper.

" _Truly, you have summoned a most interesting familiar, Louise Francoise."_

* * *

Louise stood frozen, her mouth agape in bewilderment.

No, that didn't quite fit. Perplexed maybe? Baffled, appalled, confused?

She didn't know what she was!

The only thing she knew was there were dozens of academy servants running around and cooking at Ryoga's orders while she stood to the side watching like an idiot. But really that was all she could do as her mind was currently in a state of shock and unable to comprehend everything that was happening.

When Ryoga refused to talk about his plans for the exhibition she worried that he wasn't taking the event seriously. That he was just lying to try and appease her. And while she was relieved to have been proven wrong and see that he kept his word about preparing something big, this was _far_ from what she imagined.

It wasn't that she had a problem with Ryoga's choice of talent, unexpected as it may have been. While some saw cooking as a lesser skill reserved only for those of the lower class, she knew full well that it was just as important a lesson for any noble worth their name. If one didn't know how to care for themselves then how would they expect to survive? And while it was true that anybody could learn how to cook, only a select few could become true masters of the culinary arts and produce one of a kind dishes. Not that she believed Ryoga to be a master chef or anything, seeing as it took years of practice and dedication while he was barely younger than her, but considering he was making a dish she'd never heard of before there was a chance, if albeit very small, that he had some experience with the craft. If so, then depending on how this "ramen" thing turned out this whole event could actually have a positive impact on the audience and score major points with the judges, increasing her chances of winning and maybe even impressing her majesty!

At least that's what her thoughts _should_ have been like. However there was one major issue plaguing Louise's mind that prevented such ideas from happening.

And that was that there were _servants_ on the stage!

Why!? Why were there servants on stage!? Why were they all cooking as well!? Why was Ryoga ordering them around!? How was this happening right now and why was nobody doing anything about it!?

Louise's head was swarmed with so many questions that she felt as if it'd explode like one of her failed spells. Fortunately it wouldn't come to that seeing as the person responsible for her current state of being, as well as holding all of the answers, was directly in her line of sight. And unfortunately for him, she was determined to pry those answers out of him whether he wanted to give them or not.

"RYOGA!"

The former Barian, who was cooking a small pan of garlic oil, paused in his work and cast a glance over in the direction of the shout. Unsurprisingly he caught sight of Louise rushing towards him, her face scrunched up and riddled with much frustration and confusion. So much so that it actually made her appear more silly and adorable than intimidating, especially given the large pout she probably didn't realize she was making. Hilarity aside Ryoga knew exactly what was coming and couldn't be bothered to contain the sigh that escaped his mouth.

" _One day. Is it too much to ask that she just listens to me and not be a pain in the ass for one day?"_ Ryoga wondered. Deciding to spare those nearby from Hurricane Pink he turned to a trio of chefs on his right, the same trio that had been sent to find him days before, and called to them. "Hey Marco, the broth should be ready by now so go ahead and take it over to Marteau. Careful though, twelve hours of boiling fat will hurt like a bitch. Maria, Steven, start peeling the shells off those eggs. If they break a little it's not a problem, but try to avoid it as much as possible."

"Yes Sir!" The three shouted in unison, giving miniature salutes and wide smiles before heading off to do as instructed, a sight that puzzled Louise as she finally reached Ryoga. Not only was he apparently on friendly terms with the servants now, but he even knew and was addressing them by name?

Only adding to her list of questions Louise snapped a stern glare to the Duelist and voiced her thoughts near exactly as they came. "Ryoga, what is all this!? Why are there servants on stage!? Why are they all cooking!? Why are you ordering them around!? Just what in Brimir's name is going on!?"

Ryoga resisted the urge to roll his eyes and went back to his cooking. "Isn't it obvious? I'm performing for the exhibition like you asked. The others are just here to help out since having multiple hands is a lot easier and faster than doing this all on my own, especially given what I'm making. As for why I'm ordering them around, it's because I kind of have to. They've never made something like this before so I need to direct them on every step to make sure nothing goes wrong, otherwise they won't know what to do and the entire thing could fall apart," a grimace look crossed the water user as he remembered the last time that happened. The food poisoning hadn't gone down for several days, and even afterwards left him in such a state that he was unable to even Duel. Definitely not one of his more memorable moments.

"That doesn't excuse them being here!" Louise pointed at the kitchen staff. "This is the Familiar Exhibition, as in for familiars _only_! Not a bunch of servants! What you're doing is completely against the rules!"

"Technically there aren't any rules in regards to outside help, least according to Siesta. And seeing as you didn't share or mention any details regarding subjects like that, your argument is invalid either way," Ryoga retorted.

"This isn't the time for your stupid games Ryoga! We're going to get in serious trouble if this keeps going!"

"We will if you don't settle down. Seriously, you're making a scene in front of everyone when it's' not a big deal."

"It is a big deal! It's a very big deal! We need to get these servants off the stage before-"

"Will you shut up and listen for a second!?" Louise jumped as Ryoga nearly slammed the cooking pan down on the table counter before whirling around to face her. Surprisingly she couldn't spot any traces of anger coming from him, though there was plenty of irritation to make up for that. "I get that you're panicking right now and that this is probably, no, _definitely_ breaking whatever little fantasies you had about my performance. But right now you need to seriously shut up and listen to what I have to say because I can't afford to have you going off and distracting me when I'm trying to cook! Trust me, that's a very bad thing to do!"

The outburst startled Louise, not having expected such a reaction or knowing how to respond to it, and rendered her momentarily silent. Ryoga took the silence as a sign of her listening and briefly collected himself before motioning a finger to the rest of the stage.

"Take a look," he said, his voice stern but with a calmly even tone. "Do you see everyone over there, working hard and putting their backs into this event? They didn't have to do this you know. They didn't _have_ to be here. I asked them for help but they could have just as easily refused and not been a part of any of this. Hell I wouldn't have been surprised if that had been the case," Ryoga dropped his hand and straightened himself. "They're here though because they wanted to help out the same way Siesta's been, by lending a hand and giving me the chance to do what I need to in order to win this stupid exhibition of yours, even if it meant sacrificing their own free time and busy schedules to do so. Which by the way, means that they're also doing the same for you."

"For me?" Louise broke her silence looking confused.

"Yeah. Remember yesterday how you dropped the issue with Siesta because you realized it'd better your chances of winning? It's the same thing happening here, the only difference being there's a lot more people involved. But it doesn't change the fact that by helping me out on this, they're helping you out as well," Ryoga decided to leave out that Siesta was the only one who actually wanted to help for Louise's sake as much as his own. Which was understandable seeing as the others weren't exactly fond of working for nobles, especially ones that had a tendency to explode things.

"E-Even so this is still unorthodox!" Louise argued. "Letting that mai-," she cut herself off at noticing Ryoga's glare. "Err…Siesta…help was one thing, but doing all of this? Don't you realize the situation you're putting us in right now!?"

"You act as if I wouldn't have," Ryoga scoffed. "I accepted the consequences of my actions the moment I decided to proceed with this event. I even warned the others about it. Told them the risks they'd be putting themselves in if this whole thing went south, even more so considering their positions at the school," he turned to look over the staff members, a smile forming on his face. "Funny thing is, they didn't care. Rather they were just as aware of the risk involved but still decided to put their faith in what I was doing, like a Duelist who puts their faith in the cards of their deck. They weren't afraid to take the challenge, so why should I be?" He looked back to Louise. "Why should _you_ be?"

"Why should I…?" The question raced through Louise's mind. Why should she? What kind of question was that? The answer should be obvious. And yet…for some reason it didn't feel so. "B-Because it'll just anger everyone watching! And the princess will-"

"She won't care. Don't give such a weak excuse," Ryoga scolded. "If last night revealed anything it's that she won't give a rat's ass for me doing this. Hell I'll bet you she'll fully support my actions and be one of the first ones to volunteer and try the ramen. And do you know why that is?"

He waited to see if Louise could answer. Yet the pinkette simply looked confused and uncertain by what he meant, and after a few seconds without a response Ryoga answered for her.

"It's because you're her friend."

Louise's eyes shot open, surprise fully displayed across her face.

"And friends, true friends, no matter how stupid or idiotic, no matter how much of a pain they can be…" the image of Yuma's stupid grin echoed through Ryoga's mind, producing a light chuckle out of the former Barian. "They support you no matter what, and stick by your side till the very end. And from what I saw Henrietta is the kind of friend who'd do that for you. So even if you can't fathom what's going on or accept it, you can still trust her to continue being your friend regardless of the results or what everyone else thinks. And you can definitely trust me to make sure you win this exhibition."

"But…but this is still…you can't just…" Louise tried to find an argument, something to respond back with. But she couldn't. It wasn't even that there wasn't anything to argue over, but everything Ryoga said, from the certainty in his tone to the belief in his words, just seemed to render those points mute. He seemed so convinced in what he was doing while she was filled with fear and uncertainty, just like every other time before. "But I-"

Her voice cut off at the feeling of a palm on her head.

"You told me not to screw up. So just sit back and leave everything to me. I'll show you that your hope wasn't misplaced," Ryoga reassured as he lightly ruffled the small noble's head. Louise's eyes stared into his own for a moment, surprise showing on her face before it grew red at the action.

"D-Don't treat me like a child!" Louise smacked the hand away and turned around, trying to hide her burning cheeks. Strangely enough her worries seemed to disappear because of it, though she had no idea why. After a moment of silence between the two she quietly spoke. "F-Fine. If you say that you can do this and it won't be an issue, then I guess I have no choice but to trust you," she looked back to face Ryoga. "But you better win first place! I won't accept anything less! And you better prepare for a massive punishment when this is all done!"

"Heh, right," Ryoga turned and resumed his cooking, the smile on his face never once fading.

* * *

While the events of the courtyard continued, within the main tower of the school a female figure stood before the colossal doors of the school vault, her appearance concealed by a large black cloak. The woman lifted her hands and held them out to the doors as she began chanting in a runic language and gathering a large amount of magic between her palms, shaping it into a large glowing hex. After a moment the woman stopped chanting and fired the hex at the doors, which quickly collided against the wooden structure and expanded across its' surface. The hex emitted a bright light and soon after began unleashing arcs of magical currents and bolts all across the vault entrance, the amount of which lit up the entire corridor. Despite the display of power however the doors seemed to be unaffected by what was happening, and after a moment the arcs of magic ceased to flow as the hex glowed brightly before shattering apart and dispersing into thin air, all while leaving the doors completely unscratched.

"Damn that old bastard. He really knows how to keep his precious toys locked away doesn't he?" The woman muttered with a glare. She had been trying to break the protection wards for several minutes now and had yet to so much as put a dent in them. They were simply too powerful for any line-class magic's to work on, even to the point that they affected the surrounding floors and walls, rendering her transmutation spells completely useless, almost as if to mock her. If she weren't on a massive time crunch right now she might have been impressed, as nearly every other treasure she'd stolen in the past had nowhere near the level of protection this one did.

Still, time _was_ of the essence. She was lucky to have not been noticed yet thanks to the exhibition drawing away everyone's attention, but if she couldn't find a way to break the wards soon then she would be forced to dismiss her inconspicuous state and use more drastic measures. No doubt it would get the job done a lot faster and easier, but it would also draw every eye in the school on her in an instant, meaning she'd have to immediately hightail it out of there less she risk being confronted by several high-class mages.

Yet it would all be worth it in the end if she managed to succeed and get her hands on the special treasure locked away in there. A treasure Osmond personally locked away, at the request of the royal palace no less, keeping it secret from even those who worked under him. A treasure she had known about for some time and was determined to have no matter the cost.

"I didn't come this far to be beaten now," the woman declared as she began casting another spell.

* * *

Time passed as Ryoga and his staff continued working, with Louise watching silently from the side, until eventually after what felt like forever they finally completed their work. The very air was assaulted by the fragrant smell coming out of the iron pots, further captivating the audience and making many mouths water. One by one the food was scooped out into a bowl and placed on a separate table facing the crowd, until five bowls total were displayed before them.

"Mrroooowwwww," Cat Shark's eyes sparkled at the food, its' own senses hitting full capacity as it looked at Ryoga with a begging gaze. "Mrrow mrrow?"

"Sorry buddy, these ones are reserved. Later though, promise," Ryoga rubbed the spirit's head, making it purr happily while he looked down at the bowls with a satisfied grin.

It took a lot longer to make than expected, but it just as well relieved him to have considered the possibility of such a thing happening and having planned things out ahead of time. Even with the scientific enhancements of modern day cooking back home his regular Tonkotsu Ramen took many hours, sometimes _days_ , to make perfect, even more so with the amount of careful preparation and timing required. So to try and recreate that recipe in a medieval based world with stone-iron equipment was quite the challenge.

It was why he was grateful for Siesta's aid. While just as surprised as everyone else by his choice of talent the raven-haired maiden happily agreed to help him out, almost enthusiastically so, and together the two planned out every aspect of the meal, from gathering the required ingredients to how each piece of equipment could be used and moved to the stage. It was the whole reason he forgot to return to Louise's room in the first place, since he wanted to be sure Siesta memorized and understood everything he was teaching her as well as help him on deciding which ingredients to use for substitutes in the recipe.

Given Siesta's reaction to not knowing what ramen was, Ryoga guessed that everyone else at the school, possibly the world even, had never seen or heard of the noodle creation before. Which if true made his job a lot more difficult. If no one knew what ramen was then they might not have the ingredients to make it, which would make it impossible for him to do what he was planning. So he spent much of that night with Siesta digging through the kitchen pantry to find everything that was available to him.

Luckily most of the essentials were there. There was pork for the broth and meat, several fresh brown eggs for toppings, some corn and scallions, and even a bunch of spices and salts to add just the tiniest kick of extra flavor. Ryoga was also happy to find canola and garlic oil, since it allowed him to create one of his favorite toppings of all, mayu, a special black liquid that was formed by mixing and burning the two oils together. While many in the past had given him odd looks about the mixture, his current helpers included, he personally enjoyed the bittersweet and garlicky acrid flavor with his noodles. And while he hadn't found any ramen or soba-styled noodles, which he fully expected, he did find some angel-hair pasta that would work just as efficiently.

In the end though, even with all the ingredients gathered and everything planned out, none of this would have been possible if not for the kitchen staff. There was no chance Ryoga could have done all this from scratch on stage even with Siesta assisting him, as they were both too busy to continuously keep an eye on the food and prepare the next step when needed. It was why he sought out Marteau and the rest of the staff for help, only to be surprised to discover that they already knew about his plan thanks to Siesta, who already informed them all about what he was doing, coming to the same conclusion he did about extra hands and managing to convince them to join in on the action, which they were more than happy to do for "Their Fang".

It was because of them that everything was successfully pulled off, and why as Ryoga looked back to the staff, who were lined up behind him once more, he smiled proudly to each and every one of them, which they happily returned in kind. Siesta in particular having the brightest smile of all. He then looked over to Louise to gauge her reaction. She still appeared worried but not nearly as bad as earlier as she locked eyes with the Duelist. Her gaze told all he needed to know as he nodded and faced the crowd.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. I present to you five bowls of Tonkotsu Ramen, freshly made and ready to be eaten," Ryoga announced. More than a few students shifted in their seats, the desire of hunger evident amongst them. The sight brought amusement to the purple-clad teen. "And now for the final act of this performance. As you can imagine I and the rest of my helpers did not produce these bowls merely to show off this unique cuisine, but for you to experience it fully. For this, I call out five volunteers from the audience to come up and taste test my Tonkotsu Ramen, giving out his or her own unbiased opinions of it. That way you can all truly see just how different the cooking from my homeland is compared to here," his mouth curled into a shark-toothed grin. "So I ask...who amongst you is brave and willing enough to challenge your taste buds?"

Roars of chatter instantly erupted amongst the students as they began debating over who should or would even go up. It didn't take long though before a loud and familiar voice broke through the noise.

"I volunteer darling!" Kirche shouted, gaining everyone's attention as she stood up with an excited smile. "I'd be more than happy to try any meal you make for me. And maybe later you'll be able to do the same," she sent a less than subtle wink to Ryoga. He didn't bother to give a reaction, unlike Louise who glared at her rival.

"I-I volunteer as well!" Katie yelled as she also stood from her seat, slightly nervous but also determined. Ryoga smiled seeing her, happy to have at least one face he was friendly with participate.

"Behold!" Guiche got to his feet and instantly posed. "Kamishiro Ryoga, today your food shall be blessed by the most noblest of presences. For I too shall partake in this meal you have created!" He declared, his elegant nature gaining several awes of wonder and respect from the students around him, especially the females.

"Oh? You're going to join as well?" Kirche teased. "Is this you trying to get on darling's good side, or are you just trying to show off to the ladies again?"

Guiche flinched both at the accusation and the glare now being sent by Montmorency. "Guiche…" the female blonde growled.

"I-I swear it isn't like that my sweet and beautiful Montmorency!" Guiche assured fearful.

Kirche giggled at the duo before a movement to her right caught her attention. Looking over she was surprised to see Tabitha of all people standing from her seat, book closed shut and staff raised to the air.

"Tabitha?" The Germanian questioned confused by the action.

"Volunteer," Tabitha spoke quietly, her face as calm and emotionless as ever. Kirche's eyes widened before sparkling with delight.

"Oh Tabitha, you didn't want me to go up there alone did you? You're such a great friend!" Kirche embraced the smaller girl in a hug, the bluenette doing nothing to stop her.

"That makes four volunteers," Ryoga noted, his grin growing wider as he addressed the crowd again. "That leaves one spot remaining. So how about it? Is there anyone among you who is brave enough to take on my challenge?"

"I will." Everyone's eyes widened at the regal voice. Turning their gazes to the tents they watched as Henrietta stood from her seat and stepped out from underneath the shaded area.

"I will gladly accept your offer. If you do not mind that is," she spoke with a pleasant and almost amused tone.

"P-Princess!" Louise blurted out shocked. Ryoga held a similar expression but it quickly faded as he gave his signature smirk.

"If you think you're up for it, then who am I to deny even her highness?" He said with a motion to the tables. Henrietta gave a soft smile and nodded as she made her way to the stage with the other volunteers, gaining a large cry of excitement from the audience. Once on stage Ryoga lined each of them up to stand in front of one of the bowls.

"Ah darling! To be able to get even the princess to join in this little event! You truly are unique and splendid in every way!" Kirche said as she leaned up against Ryoga, who immediately removed himself from her grip.

"Indeed, to be able to eat the same meal as her majesty! Ah, I have already burned this image into my heart for all times!" Guiche spoke in his most suave tone. All while trying to ignore the death glare coming from Montmorency.

"I-It is a great honor indeed," Katie bowed to the royal, Tabitha doing the same next to her.

"It is my honor to be here with all of you," Henrietta returned the bow to the students before doing the same to Ryoga. "And thank you as well for allowing me to participate."

"No need for thanks. Besides, it'll be far more interesting with you up here. Never had a royal try my food before, so this is a first even for me," Ryoga admitted.

"I see. Then I hope you don't disappoint," Henrietta said, the lightest hint of teasing in her tone.

Ryoga gave a small laugh before focusing back on track. "Alright, now that everyone's here each of you please take a seat in front of the bowl before you. You may start eating whenever you wish and can take as much time as you need to finish. Just be sure to give your honest opinions on the meal to everyone as you do so, and don't be afraid to hold back on the critiques."

The five nodded and moved towards their meals. As they prepared themselves Louise moved to stand beside Ryoga. "Are you really sure about this?" She questioned nervously. "What if her majesty doesn't end up liking the food? Or worse what if she gets poisoned? Or chokes or-"

"Calm down would you. It'll be fine," Ryoga reassured.

"I can't calm down when the princess is involved!" Louise nearly shouted, once again having that panicked look on her face. Wind-up box of emotions indeed.

Their attention was drawn back to the five food testers as each one took a bowl and fork in front of them, as much to Ryoga's disappointment there were no chopsticks in this world. The area became silent as a grave as everyone watched, their tension and anticipation filling the air as the volunteers looked over their meals with curiosity and intrigue. After a moment they each scooped up a fork full of noodles and condiments and took their first bites.

The world seemed to pause in that moment. Nobody made any movements or sounds, looking like statues that would remain in place for all eternity, though in reality it was only a couple of seconds. Louise watched Henrietta nervously for any kind of negative reaction or movement.

After a moment the atmosphere was broken by Guiche, who looked down at his bowl with a startled expression.

"T-This food," Guiche stuttered. "This food…it is-"

"AMAZING!" Kirche and Katie shouted simultaneously, startling nearly everyone. They looked on as the two girls eyes and faces seemed to light up with joy as they took one bite after another from their bowls.

"This is delicious darling! Superb even! I can't believe you have something like this where you're from!" Kirche exclaimed as she gluttonously devoured her food.

"I-It's really incredible. I've never knew such a meal could exist," Katie commented as she took another bite.

"How can this be?" Guiche spoke, his eyes glistening with tears. "Such taste, such flavor. It is only third to the beauty and splendor of both women and my dear Verdandi! How can such a taste exist!?"

"Good," was the only word spoken by Tabitha as she slowly ate her meal.

The audience, along with Louise, was flabbergasted by the reactions. Did Louise's familiar really create a meal that delicious?

"I agree," the answer came from Henrietta, whose voice caught everyone's attention as she looked at her bowl. "I've had many different meals prepared for me by some of the finest cooks in the kingdom, yet never before have I tasted something so unique. This exotic blend of flavors, this mixture of sweet and tanginess, even the way it is styled to look and be eaten. This level of culinary skill is unexpected, and yet is on par with those same cooks of mine," the princess lifted her bowl and took another bite as she smiled brightly. "This 'Tonkotsu Ramen' is really delicious!"

"Princess…" Louise muttered stunned. The princess always had a specific diet and quality of food made for her, given her royal status and upbringing, and only ever acted this way with food when it involved either desserts or Horn-Sheep Soup. And yet here she was joyfully eating away at Ryoga's creation without hesitation.

As Louise continued watching the princess eat her ears began to pick up an increase in chatter coming from the audience.

"No way. The princess likes it that much?"

"If her majesty likes that meal then it must be really good!"

"That Ryoga guy must be quite the cook! Makes me want to try some myself!"

"Me too! I want a taste!"

Before long the entire crowd was in a uproar of excitement, something Louise couldn't believe. Those that were once laughing and mocking her earlier for bringing Ryoga on stage were now speaking praises and interest about him and what he created. Had such a change really occurred just because of some food?

"I told you didn't I?" Louise turned over at Ryoga as he sent her a cocky smile. "That I wouldn't let you down, right?"

"Ryoga…"

The Duelist simply continued smiling as he turned around to the staff behind him. "You hear that right? Sounds like they all want a taste as well. Let's see what we can do about that!"

"Right!" The group declared as they got to work, and before everyone knew it bowls of Tonkotsu Ramen were being distributed to anyone who wished to try it.

* * *

The sound of loud cheering and shouts caught the attention of the thief as she turned to the direction of the noise and listened. That didn't sound like the regular cheers she'd been hearing from the other performances. There was far too much excitement and commotion in it. Did something happen without her realizing? She remembered hearing the last act be announced some time ago, as it made her hasten her work, but now that she thought about it she couldn't recall hearing any finishing statements from the announcer or a winner being declared, and it was far too long now for the performance to still be going on. Had she gotten so caught up in breaking the seals that she somehow missed it? But if so wouldn't that mean the exhibition was possibly ending now!?

"Dammit, I've no time left it seems," the thief said as she released her magic from the vault doors, which still appeared untouched in the slightest. "Looks like I'm doing this the hard way after all."

With those words the thief turned and ran down the halls towards the nearest window leading to the outside of the school, unlocking it before pushing herself through and leaping out from the large tower into the open air. Seeing the ground rapidly approach she quickly pulled out her wand and cast a levitation spell on herself, slowing her descent to nothing more than a gentle fall as she landed safely on the dirt of the back courtyard. Not taking the moment to regain her footing the woman kneeled down and pressed her palm to the earth, sending a pulse of magic flowing into it as the ground shook and grumbled before erupting upwards below the thief's feet, shifting about and compressing together before finally taking shape into that of a massive golem of stone and dirt, its' size nearly that of the school tower.

The woman smirked at her work and stood up from the golem's head as she faced the tower. "Bring it down."

The golem obeyed, turning to the educational structure as it lifted its' arm and swung a large fist towards the target.

* * *

 **BA-BUMP!**

Ryoga's eyes widened as he looked down to the Barian pendant. _"Was that…?"_

 **BA-BUMP!**

There was no mistaking it. Ryoga lifted the pendant up and felt it pulsing in his palm, just like when he first found Derflinger, only this time the feeling was different. Back then the pulses were a lot slower and more evenly spaced, acting almost like a beacon that directed him in discovering the magic sword. This time however the pulses were more rapidly paced, sporadic even, as if trying to alert him about something nearby.

No, not alert. Warn.

 **BA-BUMP!**

As the pendant pulsed again Ryoga suddenly felt the stage floor quake beneath his feet nearly throwing him off balance, only to cease just as quickly as it occurred.

" _The hell? Was that an earthquake?"_ Ryoga wondered as he checked around to see where the shaking came from or what caused it. He couldn't find anything out of place though and it seemed as if nobody else noticed the shockwave, as they were all still focused on enjoying their meals. Not even Louise seemed to have felt it.

But he had. And as the pendant continued to pulse Ryoga's eyes narrowed, as he felt it no longer simply warning him about whatever just happened, but directing him once again.

"I can't believe it. We may actually win this!" Louise declared excitedly. The sight of everyone enjoying this ramen recipe quenched any remaining concerns or doubts she had. Instead pure excitement flowed through her. "Ryoga, we may actually-"

Louise turned to the water user only to find him missing.

"Ryoga?" Louise looked around confused. He was just standing there a moment ago. Where did he go? "Ryoga!?" She called out as she began searching for him, never once noticing the watchful eyes of Cat Shark looking off in the distance.

* * *

The earth golem groaned as it swung another fist at the tower in hopes of decimating its' walls. However just like the previous attempts a large magical barrier formed in front of the attack, halting it in place. The golem pushed against the barrier as hard as it could but the magic held strong, and after a moment a pulse of magic repelled the fist back, forcing the golem to drop its' arm in defeat.

"Dammit! I thought a physical shock would do the trick, but that perverted bastard really didn't take chances did he?" The cloaked woman growled in annoyance. She knew the barrier surrounding the school was strong but she didn't think it would be strong enough to withstand a physical blow from her golem.

What now? She supposed she could keep trying to strike at the barrier and cause it to falter somehow, but that might take too long and not have any effect at all. Plus it was only a matter of time before someone saw her golem and things got out of hand. But what other choice did she really have?

"I've come too far to falter now! Golem!"

The earthen titan groaned as it raised its' arm and launched another attack on the barrier. As it did neither it nor its' master seemed to notice the small figure of Ryoga watching from the nearby walkway, hiding behind one of its' arching pillars.

"So, this is what you were warning me about," the Duelist muttered to the pendant, its' pulsations even stronger than before.

He followed the pendant's directions all the way to the other side of the school only to stop when he spotted the mountain of earth that he pretty sure was _not_ supposed to be there. Not knowing what to expect he quickly hid himself and silently approached to get a better idea of what he was seeing. After spotting the figure on top of the creature's head Ryoga realized that someone had broken into the school grounds and was attacking the main tower, though for what reason he couldn't begin to imagine. He also couldn't get a clear identification of the infiltrator as they were concealed by a large cloak and too far away for his eyes to get a good view.

"What do you think Derf?" Ryoga asked his partner.

"Definitely not your ordinary mage I can tell you that much," Def replied, for once sounding more serious than his usual carefree self. "The size of a magical construct is usually determined by the strength of the caster, and I can tell you right now that a golem that size needs at least triangle-class magic to be created."

"Triangle-class huh?" That meant the mage up there was on the same level of skill as Mott. Actually no, that would be giving the bastard a compliment when he deserved none.

Feelings of utter disgust and loathing aside, it was the count's...less than desirable actions that allowed Ryoga to get a good estimate of the strength and capability behind triangle-class mages. Compared to Guiche, a dot-class mage, the difference between the two was quite noticeable. Guiche's magic was one-dimensional and straightforward, fitting for his level, with him summoning his Valkyries in large numbers to swarm the enemy and keep them at a distance. A strategy that quickly fell apart when overwhelmed by a much stronger adversary, like a very hungry shark, along with his lack of stamina, which made it difficult for him to continuously summon his creations the longer the fight went on. Mott meanwhile, despite being at a huge disadvantage against someone like Ryoga, was able to manipulate the water into a much larger variety of techniques, from simple water whips to giant twister shaped wolves. He could even solidify the liquid into solid ice and back near instantaneously, granting him further degrees of combat and danger. All the while having far more magic and power than anything Guiche could produce.

It was like seeing the difference in Duel Monsters between a Duelist who just started learning how to play to a veteran that had years of experience under their belt. Didn't matter how good the deck was, the veteran would always have the greater level of skill and could probably crush the newcomer with even the simplest of cards. In fact, Ryoga could say it was similar to Yuma's level of skill, or lack thereof, when they first met compared to his own at the time. If not for the sudden appearance of the Numbers he would have easily won that Duel, something he was more than happy to demonstrate during their rematch.

Which was why Ryoga didn't like how every instinct in his body was screaming at him to get away, the pulsing from his pendant notwithstanding. He didn't need it yelling at him to know that this stranger was on a completely different level from Mott, even if they had the same level of magic. The golem was proof enough as it was. But even ignoring that he could sense the danger this person possessed even from as far a distance as he kept from them.

"So what do we do? Should we try and stop them?" Derf asked. Ryoga considered the idea for a moment before shaking his head.

"No. We can't risk a fight right now with the exhibition still going on," the former Barian said, pushing back the distaste he felt. He hated turning his back from a challenge. It went against his nature as a Duelist. But this wasn't the time or place to be picking fights, not when everyone was on the other side of the school and clueless to what was going on, especially with one of them being the princess. "We need to get back and warn Osmond about this. After that we can-"

"Mrrow mrrow!" A loud cry suddenly sounded off and broke Ryoga's dialogue. Eyes wide at the noise he snapped around and spotted Cat Shark flying towards him.

"Cat Shark?" Ryoga said confused as the Duel Spirit flew up to him.

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark smiled before its' expression became curious. "Mrrow mrrow? Mrrow mrrow mrrow!"

"H-Hey settle down for a moment will you!" Ryoga ordered as he held up his hands to try and ease the spirit. The last thing he needed was to be exposed like this.

"Mrrow? Mrrow mrrow?" Cat Shark tilted its' head.

"Because we're trying to be sneaky you idiot!" Derf exclaimed.

"Mrrow?"

A loud crashing sound was heard as the ground shook and a large shadow loomed over the three. Ryoga cursed and turned to see the large form of the golem towering over him, its' master looking down directly at him.

"You?" The thief muttered almost sounding surprised.

"Derf!" Ryoga snapped at the sword.

"Ack, sorry partner!" The sword apologized sheepishly. Before Ryoga could respond the ground shook again as the golem stepped towards them.

"Looks like you're out of luck little boy!" Ryoga looked up to the shout just in time to see a giant stone hand hurdling towards him.

"Shit!" Ryoga cursed and leapt from the underpass with Cat Shark just as the hand crashed upon the area he once stood on. The ground exploded from the impact, a huge cloud of dust and debris shooting into the air as the upper level of the walkway collapsed under the golem's fist. As the cloud settled the former king was seen kneeling not far from the spot, trying to clear his head from the dust and shockwave while Cat Shark looked at him worried.

"Oh? You managed to dodge that did you?" The cloaked woman noted, amusement laced in her tone. "But don't think you'll get away that easily!"

The golem moved again and turned towards Ryoga as it lifted its' other arm to the air.

"Dammit! Cat Shark move!" Ryoga shouted as he and the spirit retreated in different directions as fast as they could. The golem looked between the two for a moment before choosing its' target, its' fist quickly descending upon Ryoga's position. The Duelist cursed again and pushed his legs off the ground as hard as he could, just barely managing to dodge out of the way as the attack crushed the earth and stone he was just on, the explosive shockwave slamming into the former king along with piles of debris that sent him tumbling hard onto the ground, receiving a cry of pain out of him.

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark flew to Ryoga's side immediately, fear filling the spirit's face as it saw the pain in its' master's expression.

"Partner, you alright!?" Derflinger yelled just as worried.

"I'm fine!" Ryoga yelled back, shaking off the dizziness before glaring up at the enemy. It was heavy and strong for sure, but it was also slow and sluggish. He could keep dodging the blows if needed but that would get him nowhere and he couldn't do it forever. "Cat Shark, I need you to get back to the exhibition! Tell Osmond about what's going on and get help over here right away!"

"Mrrow?" Cat Shark looked unsure, not liking he idea of leaving Ryoga behind.

"I'll be fine! I need you to do this though or else things will just get worse!" Ryoga looked back to see the golem lifting its' fist off the ground. "I'm counting on you buddy! You need to do this!"

Cat Shark looked at its' master a moment longer before nodding, taking off into the air as it flew past the golem and away from the battle. The cloaked thief noticed the action causing her eyes to narrow beneath the hood.

"That may be a problem," she muttered quietly before looking back to Ryoga's form. She would have to deal with this much faster now. "Sorry to say boy but I'm not one to play around. Give up now and I'll let you walk freely, otherwise I can't promise this won't be painless for you. Though it'll definitely be quick if you just hold still."

Ryoga gave a snort as he stood up and glared back at the enemy. "Not happening lady. I'm not exactly one for giving up."

"I see," the woman shrugged, not concerned at all by his defiance. He wanted to die that bad, so be it. "Golem!" She called out as the golem groaned and raised its' fist once more.

"Not this time!" Ryoga's arms moved as he pulled out his D-Gazer and Duel Disk equipped them both, the devices automatically activating before he put his fingers to the top of the deck. "Draw!"

His hand swiftly pulled away from the deck as five cards were drawn into his palm, his eyes quickly glancing over each of them. The cloaked woman's eyes narrowed at the sight. She didn't know what he was planning but wasn't willing to find out as she launched the golem's fist down towards the boy. Def gave a nervous shout to Ryoga, who simply ignored the sword as he immediately grabbed one of the cards and slapped it onto the Duel Disk, the machine lighting up as he did.

"Come out, Jawsman!"

A large pillar of water suddenly erupted from the ground in front of Ryoga and intercepted the stone fist heading his way. But instead of going through the water as expected the attack was halted, causing the ground to shake from the collision.

"What!?" The thief shouted in disbelief, not having expected such a powerful defense against her golem. However that thought quickly dispelled when the water dissipated to reveal what lay underneath.

Standing in the way of the golem of earth was what could only be described as an abomination. While humanoid in stance and build the creature's whole body was made up of a series of vicious looking jaws and shark teeth, ranging from the bottom of its' feet, to its' hands, to even its' head, which was nothing more than a giant pair of razor teeth. It was also large, nearly half the size of the earth golem, and seemed to be holding the opponent's fist between another set of giant teeth that made up its' entire chest. A fierce growl emitted from the creature, one that sounded like it was coming from all the mouths at once, making the cloaked thief step back fearfully.

"W-What the hell is that!?" She exclaimed. Never had she seen a creature like this before, let alone expected such a thing to suddenly appear before her!

"That would be Jawsman," Ryoga answered, smirking at the sound of the woman's fear. "And it's time for his lunch! Go, Jawsman!"

Jawsman roared from all of its' mouths as the chest piece bit down on the golem's hand, its' teeth swiftly slicing clean through the earth and dirt and reducing it to pieces. The earth giant stumbled back from the sudden loss of its' hand and ended up crashing against the barrier of the school, causing its' magic to light up once more and began fighting back against the pressure. The golem had no time to react though as Jawsman lunged forward and tackled into the golem's left leg. The Duel Spirit immediately began digging its' many mouths into the limb of the giant and began to savagely rip it apart, causing the golem to further lose its' balance and begin slide to the side.

The cloaked summoner gasped and struggled to maintain her balance at the golem's loss of a limb, falling to one knee because of it. Seeing the opportunity Jawsman dug its' jaws for hands into the chest of the golem and began anchoring itself up the earth titan's body, furthering causing it to lose balance and use its other arm to try and keep itself upright, putting its' summoner in direct line of sight with the Duel Spirit.

Jawsman let out a vicious roar as it spotted the summoner, its' pace to climb the golem increasing with a savage fury. Panic filled the woman's eyes at the oncoming threat as she quickly drew her wand and pointed it to the ground below. Calling upon her magic the courtyard suddenly began to break apart as pieces of earth and stone flew into the air towards the spot where the golem's lost hand was. The earth rapidly began to compress and merge together with the limb until it reshaped into a new hand. The regenerated piece was quickly put to use as it tightened into a fist and slammed into Jawsman's side, sending the Duel Monster crashing into the nearby walkway bridge with a pained cry.

"What the hell!? That thing can regenerate!?" Ryoga shouted, watching as even more of the earth around him flew towards the golem, this time beginning to mend the damaged leg Jawsman had caused.

"She's a triangle-class partner. So long as she's got earth lying around that mage can probably repair anything short of complete destruction," Derf explained, not liking the situation anymore than his wielder.

Ryoga scowled at the information. So not only was this person extremely powerful, but her golem was essentially unkillable. As if the situation couldn't be more annoying. Yet despite the situation he was in that knowledge only made the former king smirk. After all he had already dealt with several "unkillable" opponent's in the past with Duel Monsters.

And if he was shown anything, it was that _nothing_ was unkillable.

" _Which means,"_ Ryoga looked over the cards in his hand again before looking at Jawsman, who stood back up and roared at the golem. "Alright, let's see how much damage that thing can take!" He grabbed one of the cards and slid it into the Duel Disk. "I activate the Magic Card, Aqua Jet!"

Beneath the cloak the thief's expression showed disbelief and shock. "Magic Card!?"

A green-coated card formed in the air behind Jawsman. The card glowed as did the spirit as a pair of white metal wings with turbines suddenly formed on the beast shoulders, it giving out a pleased roar from the feeling. The turbines began rapidly spinning and after a moment shot out high-pressure streams of water from behind, launching the multi-mouthed summon soaring into the air.

" _Impossible!"_ The thief thought flabbergasted from watching the sight. How was any of this even possible!? She was in such a state of confusion and trying to understand what was going on that she almost didn't realize when Jawsman suddenly turned its' body downwards, the jet wings launching it at her golem with high speed and rows of razor sharp teeth all aimed directly at her.

"Shit!" The woman quickly jumped from the golem's shoulder just as the two titans collided. Despite the smaller size the sheer speed and force Jawsman was moving at made its' impact tremendous upon the earth golem's chest, with the teeth cleaving through the rocky structure and caving its chest in as the two slammed back against the school barrier, which only served to further increase the damage dealt by the shark beast. Jawman didn't give the golem time to recover as it shot it into the air again before slamming down once more onto its' opponent head, repeating the process several times while savagely chomping away at the golem.

The thief cursed as she watched the abomination tearing through her golem. She raised her wand to intervene only to catch sight of a rusted blade swinging at her from the side, forcing her to jump back as the attack sliced through her robe, barely missing her.

"Don't even think about it!" Ryoga yelled as he charged with Derflinger in hand.

"Damn you!" The hooded mage screeched as she retreated backwards, waving her wand to summon several large boulders out of the ground and fling them at the boy. Ryoga didn't falter and swiftly cut down every projectile, his momentum never slowing as he gave chase and kept swinging at the attacker. Panic building the thief aimed her wand directly to her feet and levitated away from the ground, just barely dodging a strike from Ryoga. Teeth gritting she summoned a large wave of earth in front of the Duelist and sent it hurdling towards him. Ryoga quickly jumped back to avoid to avoid the attack, however the wave didn't seem to stop as it honed in after him as if it were alive.

"Trap Card activate, Zeus's Breath!" Ryoga clicked the button on his Duel Disk causing the card to appear and unleash a storm of water and wind to meet the charging earth. The two forces collided and fought for dominance, sending waves of water and dirt everywhere before exploding apart in a rain of their elements. Ryoga quickly dug Derflinger into the ground and braced himself against the clashing forces, while the thief wasn't so lucky as she was sent flying away before crashing hard into the ground.

Forcibly trying to ignore the pain the thief shakily pushed herself up and saw the large distant put between her and the purple-haired boy. Knowing she had to act quickly before he could recover she turned to her golem, which was barely able to keep regenerating and looked to be on its' last few moments as Jawsman tore into its' lower body. Wasting no time the thief began calling upon the earth around her and flung it towards Jawsman. The spirit screeched as the attacks impacted its' body and turned to face the attacker angrily. The woman smirked at this, grabbing the opportunity as she forcibly made her golems arms move and clench its' hands around the tooth-covered creatures head tightly.

Jawsman roared in protest and struggled to attack but the woman forced her golem to lift the spirit into the air away from the body, just enough that it couldn't strike her summon. Wasting no time she swung her wand downwards making the golem lift the Duel Monster into the air before slamming it down into the ground, the earth fissuring below and sending a large shockwave through the area that nearly knocked both summoners off their feet. Jawsman cried out in pain and tried to push itself but the thief wouldn't have that as she took direct control of the golems arms and began beating its' fist into the head of its' enemy over and over, the Duel Spirit's body being dug deeper and deeper into the earth which each impact. She repeated this process several times before calling the earth to regenerate her golems destroyed leg, having it position just above the shark monster's head as the spirit let out a weak cry.

"Jawsman!" Ryoga shouted, his race towards the opponent halted as he witnessed the foot slam down on the Duel Monster's head, causing its' body to go completely limp before shattering into orbs of light. The cloaked woman's breath was heavy as she tried to regain herself, but after a moment she began letting out a loud laugh.

"Do you see now boy!?" She said almost gleefully, her confidence rising once again at the destruction of the abomination. "You made a nice little attempt, but it'll take more than some beast to defeat me so easily!" She fully stood back on her feet, nearly stumbling as she did before jumping back into her golem's palm as it lifted her into the air once more, while the ground where Jawsman was crushed began to fly and be absorbed into the golem's body, regenerating it yet again. Ryoga's glare bore into the woman, fury building in his eyes while his teeth and mouth grit tightly in a snarl.

Only for the anger to disappear as his lips curled into a smirk.

"Is that right?"

The thief was taken aback by the reaction. How could he be smirking when she just defeated his summon?

The answer came when the ground below her golem suddenly trembled before exploding outwards, as several large black skeletal tendrils wrapped around the golem's limbs and waist binding it in place.

"What!?" The woman cried out shocked. Looking down at the tendrils she watched in horror as what appeared to be a black skeletal octopus emerged from below, its' body resembling that of an upside-down skull. "Impossible! Another one!?"

How many of these things did he have!?

Skull Kraken groaned loudly at its' prey as the earth golem struggled to break free of its' bindings. The tendrils remained firm however as the Duel Monster kept its' grip locked and secured on the giant.

"Your mistake was assuming I couldn't summon more than one creature," Ryoga stated, eyes narrowed in a firm and hard gaze. "I never leave anything to chance, and this time you won't be so lucky!" The former Barian lifted his finger to the sky. "I activate Skull Kraken's effect!"

At those words the mouth on Skull Kraken's skull head opened up and a large black fog spewed out from inside, which quickly engulfed the entire golem and mage. The woman covered her mouth and braced herself down against the golem's head, the smoke around her emitting sparks of electricity that stung at her body. But after a moment she realized nothing else was happening, and soon after the smoke dissipated into the air as quickly as it was produced, leaving her and her golem seemingly unharmed.

The thief looked confused for a moment before letting out a chuckle. "Was that supposed to do something?" She asked mockingly. Her confidence faded however at seeing the large grin remain set on Ryoga's face.

"It did."

A loud cracking sound caught the hooded mage's ears. Looking down she caught sight of huge fractures and cracks suddenly forming all along her golem's body, which quickly began to break apart beneath her feet. Cursing aloud the woman pointed her wand to the golem and called for her magic to try and keep her creation together.

Only for nothing to happen.

"What?" The woman's eyes widened, a cold feeling chilling her to the bone as she tried casting the spell again. And again. And then a fourth time. Only for the same result to happen each time.

Nothing.

She couldn't feel the magic in her golem anymore. The possession on her summon's earthen body was gone. The magic was _gone_! As if it had just vanished into thin air!

"Impossible!" The thief screamed as the golem began collapsing upon itself. Knowing the danger she was in she quickly cast a levitation spell on herself and hovered away from the crumbling titan, landing safely on the ground just as her summon was completely destroyed, its' remains crumbling on top of Skull Kraken and burying it in a pile of dirt and stone. Fury swam through the woman at watching the destruction of her beloved creation as she sent a fearsome glare to the one responsible. "You…how did you do that!? Just what the hell are you!?"

Ryoga's eyes narrowed as he glared back at the woman. "I'm a Duelist. And that's all you'll be getting from me since you won't be walking away from this," he replied back sternly. Skull Kraken's tentacles burst through the remains of the golem as it pulled itself out and moved to stand beside its' master.

The woman let out a growl of anger as she and the Duelist watched each other, both covered in dirt and waiting to see who would make the next move in this battle of theirs.

"Ryoga!?"

A loud cry suddenly shouted through the tense atmosphere immediately drawing both fighters' attention, as they turned to see Louise rushing towards them with Cat Shark flying by her side.

"Louise!? What the hell are you doing here!?" Ryoga shouted alarmed. What did she think she was doing!? Why wasn't she at the exhibition!?

Louise looked at the purple-colored boy, trying to catch her breath as she took in the destruction around the area. "What am I doing here? I was looking for you! Just what the heck do you think you're doing!?" She questioned frustrated. She had been looking for him ever since he disappeared from the exhibition yet he was nowhere to be found. It didn't help that several people had wanted to question him about the food he created and she was left to answer in place.

However when she spotted Cat Shark near the regal tent followed immediately by Osmond declaring that an emergency situation had occurred, she knew something was wrong. Instead of evacuating like everyone else she quickly went to Cat Shark's side and demanded it to take her to where Ryoga was, which after a bit of reluctance the spirit did so. Her fears only grew as she followed it though, as she could hear the sounds of explosions in the distant and feel the earth shake below her feet. And now here she was, seeing an entire segment of the school completely obliterated as Ryoga stood there facing some cloaked figure.

"You idiot! Get out of here before-" Ryoga didn't get the chance to finish as the earth in front of him suddenly rose up and tackled the boy, making him drop Derflinger and his cards. The earth quickly engulfed him and tightened into the shape of a large fist.

"Partner!" Derf cried out in surprise, Cat Shark mimicking his fear with its own cries.

"Ryoga!" Louise shouted, fear and confusion filling her at what was happening. Another fist of earth suddenly formed beside Skull Kraken and slammed it into the school walls, making it howl out in pain as the walls crumbled down on top of it. Laugher caught the noble girl's attention as she looked to the cloaked figure.

"Such unfortunate timing wouldn't you say boy?" The woman mocked. She channeled what magic she still had into the ground as it began forming below her and connecting with the two fist, forming into yet another massive golem, albeit a bit smaller and thinner than before.

The woman looked displeased at the result but knew it couldn't be helped. She was nearly out of magic due to the constant time wasted on trying to break the vault doors as well as the fight with this boy. And given the pinkette's sudden appearance chances were the school was on high alert now, and it was only a matter of time before the professors showed up. As much as it pained her to admit, she would have to give up on her prize for today and get out of there. But not before she made the one responsible pay.

The golem lifted its' hand that was holding Ryoga up to eye level with the woman. She looked over his face for a moment, her own gaze narrowing beneath her hood. "I don't know how you managed to destroy my other golem, but did you really think I was finished so easily? That I couldn't just summon another one like you could? How naive of you."

"D-Dammit!" Ryoga cursed at his carelessness as he struggled against the hold. The woman smirked and snapped her fingers causing the golem's grip and make the water user cry out in pain.

"Ryoga!" Louise looked on fearfully as she heard the Duelist scream. Knowing she had to do something she drew out her wand and aimed it towards the golem. "Let go of Ryoga now!"

The thief looked down at the pinkette, amused by her actions. "Oh? And what will you do if I don't?" She asked as the golem shifted to face Louise.

Louise and Cat Shark both shook at the imposing figure but the noble shoved it down and closed her eyes as she began chanting, "In…Ex…"

"Dammit Louise, get the hell out of here!" Ryoga shouted.

"Bet…Flame…"

"A waste of time!" The cloaked woman exclaimed as the golem raised its' other hand to grab the small girl.

"FIREBALL!"

Louise called out the spell as she pointed the wand at the golem. The golem's hand momentarily paused, awaiting the attack. But after a moment nothing happened.

The thief let out a scoff. "Was that a-"

 **BOOM!**

The entire academy grounds shook as a large explosion formed against the central tower. The blast was far more powerful than any of the ones previously caused from the battle between Ryoga and the thief, the shockwave striking everyone in the vicinity and nearly toppling the golem off balance. The cloaked woman kneeled down to the golem's head, trying to keep herself from being knocked off her summon as she covered her face from the smoke and dust, while Ryoga didn't have the luxury and coughed as he tried to clear his lungs.

"T-The hell was that supposed to be!? Are you trying to kill me or something!?" Ryoga yelled at Louise once his air returned to him.

"S-Shut up! It was a simple mistake!" Louise shouted back, trying to hide her embarrassment at yet another failure. And at such a crucial time too.

"Mistake my ass!"

"Mrrooowwwww..." Cat Shark laid on the ground, its' eyes dizzy from being flung back, not noticing the cries of Derflinger below it.

The cloaked woman released another scoff, ignoring the arguments between master and familiar as she glared down at Louise. "I don't know what part of that was supposed to be a 'fireball', but I've started to have it with you children and your stupid-"

 **CRACK!**

The woman froze. She slowly looked to her right and her jaw nearly dropped at the sight. The walls of the tower had a massive spider-crack in them. One that was quickly growing as the structure around it began to weaken.

But that meant...

" _The barrier was broken? But how?"_ The woman thought to herself. She had tried everything she could think of to put even a dent in the damn thing but nothing had worked. Seals, hexes, heck even brute force, which went against her M.O, yet nothing worked. And yet somehow this girl had managed to do what she couldn't with some miscast spell?

"That magic just now…" she questioned as she looked down to the pinkette. _"It couldn't be…"_

"Miss Valliere!"

The thief's thoughts were cut short as she and the others turned their gaze towards the new voice and spotted Colbert and several others professors running towards them, the sight of which making the hooded thief curse.

"Dammit! No time left!" She had played around for too long and was now in real trouble. Her gaze glanced to the cracked tower, a struggle playing in her mind. After a moment she let out another curse. After coming this far what more was there to lose!?

Without a second thought the golem turned away from the nobles and turned to the tower, its' fist rising up one final time before hurling towards the cracked stone walls with all its' might. This time however it met no resistance, causing the once seemingly impenetrable tower walls to shatter and crumble beneath its' attack, dust and debris rupturing out from the impact.

The woman didn't hesitate as she leapt from the golem's shoulder and into the opening, nearly laughing as she witnessed the sight of the place she had been trying to get to for so long, the school's treasure vault. Piles upon piles of different items adorned the inner sanctuary of the vault, ranging from gold, tomes, unique looking armor and weapons, and treasure upon treasure galore. Despite the greed and avarice that could fill any person's mind at the sight of all these wonders the woman ignored them all and desperately looked for her original objective. After a moment though she spotted something in the corner and grinned.

It was a small box, easily holdable in one hand. It was black in cover and slim in appearance, with tiny markings etched around the surface. And written upon the glass container it was sealed in were ancient runes depicting its' name. The name she had been looking for.

Wasting no time the thief shattered the glass case before snatching the box from its' pedestal. She looked at the prize with a grin and quickly used her magic to inscribe something into the wall behind its' former pedestal. As she turned to leave the vault doors suddenly slammed open, as Osmond and several other mages rushed through and spotted the thief.

"You-" the headmaster spoke only to stop when the thief levitated several of the items in the room and hurled them at the group. Osmond raised his hand and quickly summoned a wind barrier to deflect the attacks while the woman ran towards the hole in the tower wall.

"I thank you for the gift!" The thief shouted as she jumped back onto the golem's shoulder. "Golem!"

The earth giant stepped away from the vault and began to make its' way from the school, its' smaller size allowing it to move much faster than the other golem The woman smiled at the shocked expressions below before looking down at Ryoga, who was still being held in the golem's other hand.

"As for you," she said with an almost vicious tone, catching the Duelist full attention. "You've been quite the annoyance for me. I think it'd be best to get rid of you here and now."

Ryoga's eyes widen as the golem suddenly lifted him up before hurling him into the air at high speeds.

"RYOGA!" Louise screamed in horror.

Ryoga cursed aloud and screamed as his body fell through the air and rapidly descended towards the ground. Before he could get his bearings the former king felt a powerful gust of air pass over him before he was suddenly tackled by something, his body being halted from its' deadly fall as the rapid flow of air became much gentler.

"I've got you," Ryoga looked up to see Sylphid holding him closely in her arms, his back pressed firmly against her warm and scaly body while Tabitha rode on the back of her familiar. The boy sighed in relief, for once being grateful to the flying lizard before focusing his attention back down to the academy, his eyes filling with anger as he spotted the earth golem sink into the earth outside the school grounds along with the woman.

"That person…" Ryoga's fist clenched tightly, his Barian pendant finally ceasing its' constant glowing as it settled down.

Up at the vault's nearly acquired hole Osmond's own eyes narrowed at the direction the thief disappeared in, his own concerns fully displayed across his face. How could this have happened? To think someone would manage to break into the vault and steal something right under their noses. This did not bode well.

"Sir, you should take a look at this!" One of the professors shouted.

Osmond turned from the view and walked over to where the man was pointing, only for his eyes to widen at the sight. It was a message inscribed against the wall with magic. A message that amplified the headmaster's fears a hundredfold.

 _The Rune of Destruction has been transferred into my hands. Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt._

* * *

 _ ***The ground cumbles as a light begins to gleam from it.***_

 **FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS I LAY DORMANT! WHO HAS DISTURBED MY-**

 _ ***Notices the glares***_

 **...oh...hi guys.**

 **Okay...yeah I know, it's nearly been a year since last update. I could go on to tell you the reasons why, but overall it was just a lot going on and me trying to get my head straight. I decided to actually take a good break for a while from this to relax and rest, and while time moved faster than I would have liked, I never forgot it. I do appreciate the support still and am happy to know you guys, if still following, care for my story. I hope I won't take too long next time, but if so, I simply ask you be patient. Cause I really do wish to keep writing, I just need to get my life in proper order. So thank you for being so patient.**

 **I hope you can forgive me for keeping you all waiting for so long.**

 **I suppose one good thing is the amount of extra people who have liked and followed my story, as well as me now having over 50 followers! THANK YOU GUYS** _ ***does a polite bow***_

 **Now onto the reviews.**

 **Sekishiki - Hello old friend. I've met your dragon...he's god damn terrifying. And awesome. And I have an idea where Yuri and his little "pet" could go to for a world. I'm glad you continued to like Cat Shark and Louise's reaction to it. And actually you helped me out a bit with telling me that. Honestly I was never sure if I did enough or too little, but that actually was part of the reason I took off. To try and figure out a better idea for length of story and chapters. Thank you man.**

 **And yes, Shark will be giving advice to Henrietta in the future, though not just yet. And I'm glad you like the side idea stories. In fact I got one planned for this one as well. As for Yuma... *smiles* Well I have thought up stuff, though I do like your idea. In fact I have considered RWBY a possible verse, though nothing solid yet. We'll see.**

 **Omega Porunga - Glad you liked the interaction. Sorry to keep you waiting for this chapter and hope you liked it.**

 **Reishin Amara - Thank you. As for a cross with Bleach...hmmm...interesting idea. You'll have to figure that one though as I sadly stopped reading Bleach a while back ^.^!**

 **Touhou is life - Thanks for the song and advice man. It did helped me a lot during this long period. And I hope this battle with Ryoga vs Foquet was to your liking, as well as the food display.**

 **Also OPM ...fucking awesome. \o.o/**

 **ivan0061509 - Thank you for the support.**

 **Kamen Rider Ultimate - Wish granted. Here's the chapter. Sorry it took so long, just been busy with a lot of stuff in real and trying to get life straighten.**

 **Well that's all. Again, sorry to keep you all waiting. I'll try to make sure it doesn't take so long next time. In fact, if I ever hit a six month period, I'll update you all on what's going on and where I am with story. Just be patient is all I ask and thank you.**

 **And now for the reward, the other crossover idea I've had. Staring a certain name-mixing up individual in a world of blood, death, assassins, and really hot females.**

* * *

"Koro, last resort! Berserker!"

Sheele's eyes widened at the words. The woman was activating the trump card of her Teigu. Sheele lifted Extase into the air to try and finish the woman, but was halted as a vicious and bloodthirsty roar filled the air, it's strength so strong that the purple-haired assassin had to actually cover her ears in pain.

The roar soon died down and Sheele looked to the direction of it to see the beast she and Mine struggled against now transformed. Its' body had become much larger and more muscular, its' skin red and steaming, and its' jaws lined with even more teeth than before. The sight was absolutely horrifying as it was disgusting, to see such an abomination before her. She was never one to really look down upon or judge people, but this was the kind of Teigu that could only be described as a monster, and based on the savage grin and laughter of the girl behind her, she could say the woman was probably the same.

"Gah!" Sheele's eyes widened at the sound of Mine's cry, as she looked to see her friend in the grip of the behemoth.

"Mine!" Sheele cried out fearfully.

"CRUSH HER TO DEATH!"

The order of the woman behind Sheele roared out as the beasts' grip tightened on Sheele's friend, Mine crying out from her bones being crushed. Sheele wasted no time and ran with Extase in hand, extending the two blades of it out in a cross. Most would say it would be better to simply kill the Teigu wielder, as when the user dies the Teigu loses it's power until it finds the next host. But the bookworm knew that if she did that Mine would still die.

And she refused to let that happen!

 **SHINK!**

Sheele closed the blades on the beast arm, slicing it clean off and making it roar in pain. Sheele quickly landed on her feet, catching herself and releasing a heavy breath, her expression cold and precise from the action commited. She glanced over to check Mine's condition, seeing that the arm holding her was now clattered along the ground uselessly, it's grip on Mine released as the pinkette laid on the ground, beaten and hurt but still alive.

"Sheele..." Mine called out, weak but smiling, her eyes full of thanks and relief.

Sheele's expression lightened, her own smile forming. "I made it just in ti-"

 **BANG!**

Sheele's eyes widened. Time seemed to almost slow down as she saw blood fly through the air in front of her.

 _Her_ blood.

Her eyes shook as did her body, as her gaze looked down briefly to see a hole in her chest. Blood spilling out from it, the adrenaline from before seemed to be sapped in an instant, as a feeling of cold began to take place where the pain was. She could hear noise in the background, but her mind was comprehending what happened and was unable to make note of any of it.

 _"My body...it-"_

 _ **vrrrr...**_

Her eyes widened a little. Wait, what was that?

 _ **vrrrrrrrr..!**_

Sheele felt a large shadow loom over her. She could feel the hot breath of something ready to devour her. Yet her mind could only process that sound.

 _"That...wonderful sound..."_

 _ **VRRRRRRRR!**_

Sheele's entire world flashed in front of her as her body was yanked away from its' spot. She felt herself flying through the air at rapid speeds before coming to a sudden halt, her body laying against something hard and metallic, yet incredibly soft.

"What!?" The girl with the monster Teigu looked on in disbelief, Koro's jaws having missed their target as she and her Teigu looked to where the criminal was.

The purple-haired woman was being held in the arms of a white colored figure. The figure wore a tight suit that seemed to be body fit to the figure's form with a small white jacket worn on top of it, as a white helmet of sorts with a blue visor covered the figure's face. That wasn't what was standing out though so much as the _thing_ the figure and the woman were sitting on. It looked like some kind of device or machine, a possible Teigu, but not one the girl could recall hearing about or reading on. It seemed to have two wheels on it, one on each end like for carts, but they looked to be made of something other than wood. Like a black rubber or metal. The machine was also white in color like the figure, but had yellow segments all along it's frontal region, including two green glowing lights at the front that made it look like it had eyes. Most important of all however was the strange green light that resembled an arrow right between the lights of the machine and the two targets.

As the girl tried to contemplate what she was seeing, Sheele's eyes focused on the face before her, trying to ignore the pain. "Who..."

"Are you alright Nee-san?"

Sheele's eyes widened. She knew that voice. That kind and innocent voice she had met several times before. As her eyes came into focus, she saw beneath the helmet the face of a young boy with bright teal eyes.

"Y...Yugo?"

The boy smiled for a moment before frowning at the blood on the woman's chest. "Dammit. Hang on Nee-san, I've got you."

Sheele felt herself being lifted up as the machine beneath her roared to life, moving across the field at such high speed that it took even Mine and the opponent by surprise, before quickly stopping before Mine's position.

"Oy! You're Nee-san's friend right?" Yugo asked as he lifted Sheele. "Quick, get yourselves out of here. I'll hold off these two."

Mine snapped out of her confusion at the sight of her friend. Her fear over losing someone precious to her overwriting her other thoughts as quickly nodded and forced herself to her feet, moving to lift Sheele onto her shoulder using her one good arm. Yugo nodded at the sight before turning to the other figures in the area, the beast Koro roaring viciously while the orange-haired girl glared at him viciously.

"How...how dare you!" The gril screamed furiously. "How dare you stand in the way of true justice! You son of a bitch! I'll kill you!"

Yugo's eyes narrowed. "I don't know what the fuck you're spouting about, but I'll be dammed before I let you harm Nee-san!"

The machine below him roared to life as it drove across the area and towards the two. The woman screamed and ordered her beast to kill him, Koro unleashing a vicious roar and obeyed, charging right at the new target. Yugo didn't falter though, his eyes focused on the monster as he reached over to his left arm with his right, his hand touching the top of a deck of cards attached to a blue gauntlet.

"DRAW!"

* * *

 **End**


	19. The Rune of Destruction

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works.

* * *

"Please?"

"No."

"Pleaaaaase?"

"No."

"Oh come on darling, one bite won't hurt you. I promise that once you've had a taste of Germanian fruit you'll be dying to use them in your recipes!"

Kirche could have sworn she heard a growl emitting from Ryoga's throat but seemed to completely ignore the threat as she kept up her sweet and innocent smile that promised anything but innocence. Held within her hands was a small food container filled with a variety of exotic fruits, each cut to bite-sized portions and appearing quite juicy and delectable, which she held out to the rather bothered looking boy.

Ever since she tasted the addictive treat called Tonkotsu Ramen the busty redhead had doubled her attempts at winning the heart of Louise's familiar, having come up with several new ideas that revolved around the various foods and recipes from her homeland. After all what better way to win a man's heart than through their stomach; especially when it was one who possessed such talent in the kitchen to begin with. Yet it seemed she had either forgotten or ignored the fact that Ryoga was not like most guys, as instead of being appreciative of her efforts he just became further irritated by her efforts.

"How many times do I have to say no before it gets through that head of yours?" Ryoga said frustrated.

"As many times as it'll take for you to accept," Kirche replied undeterred in the slightest by his reaction. If anything it just turned her on even more.

"Mrrow mrrow?" Hovering beside the two Cat Shark's feline eyes were transfixed onto the food container with a curious and hungry gaze as it licked its' lips repeatedly.

Chuckling at the sight Kirche grabbed one of the fruit slices and held it up. "Here, say ahhhh," she cooed cutely to Cat Shark before popping the piece into its' mouth. The Duel Spirit let out a moan of pleasure at the flavor and texture of the food before swallowing happily and approaching Kirche for more, the action causing her to squeal in delight. "Awww he's so cute! See darling, he seems to enjoy my present. Why can't you be more affectionate like him?"

"Because unlike him I'm not ruled by my stomach and know when not to eat something rotten," Ryoga sent the traitorous Duel Spirit an annoyed look but Cat Shark either didn't seem to notice or care as Kirche continued to feed it while scratching its' ears, earning her a pleased purr in response.

"Now that's just cruel. Just because you have amazing cooking skills doesn't mean you can judge others' creations without even trying them out first. Though I definitely wouldn't say no to you making me more of that special ramen of yours. Maybe even using _me_ in your recipe somehow hmmm?"

The licking of Kirche's lips and her leaning closer caused Ryoga to immediately pull his seat back, wanting to put as much distance between him and the seductress as possible. Before any potential threat could be had a pair of palms slammed onto the table causing the two to jump in surprise. The source being a rather miffed Louise.

"Will you stop trying to feed other people's familiars already!? He already said no so just leave him alone!" Louise shouted, her tolerance limit having finally broken from watching the Germanian's constant flirting.

Kirche leaned back from Ryoga to face her rival. "Oh settle down Louise. It's not like there's any harm in playing around is there?" The glares received from the Zero and Duelist seemed to answer for them. "Besides it gets boring when we're constantly stuck in study hall all the time. Though I suppose given the whole thief hubbub there isn't exactly much else to do is there?"

The tension from "master" and "familiar" seemed to simmer down slightly at the comment as they glanced around the classroom they were in, the many vacant seats serving as evidence to Kirche's words. Several days had passed since Fouquet presented herself within the school grounds and everyone was still feeling the aftermath and effects of her actions. The conclusion to the Familiar Exhibition was unfortunately canceled with no winner being declared, much to the dismay of many, while the destruction caused from Ryoga's battle with the thief was still being repaired. Classes were also canceled with the exception of study hall as the professors tirelessly worked themselves into locating Fouquet's whereabouts and recovering this "Rune of Destruction" that she apparently stole during the commotion. Meanwhile outside the academy walls Princess Henrietta had returned to the palace in Tristania in order to report the situation to the council as well as send possible aid to help in the search of Fouquet, though no word had yet to be received on that end. Still despite everything the student body seemed to have moved past the event and the atmosphere of the academy quickly returned to normal for the most part, though the students were still pretty bored from having nothing to do.

Yet while everyone else seemed to have recovered and moved on from what happened, the story was quite different for Ryoga and Louise. Having been up close and personal with Fouquet and her golem the two of them were constantly being plagued with the memories and emotions they experienced that day. Ryoga in particular had been frustrated with himself regarding the battle with the hooded thief and how it ended. He struggled and fought against her to a standstill, even managing to gain the advantage over her several times, yet even with the inconclusive result the fight revealed to him that the mages and magic of this world were far more dangerous than he initially realized.

Fouquet had been both smart and powerful, which made her far more dangerous then idiots like Guiche and Count Mott. Her reaction speed and skill earth magic displayed a level of combat that she had probably built up for some time, and her ability to counter and defend against several of Ryoga's attacks showed that she was a quick thinker and definitely not to be underestimated. And then there was the golem she summoned, which was already a big enough threat given its' size, but add in the ability to regenerate any wound and the radius of its' attacks, and the thing proved to be a major pain in the ass to kill.

The fight also demonstrated that despite the newfound strength and power Ryoga's cards possessed, they could still be overwhelmed and defeated by the powers of this world. He expected this of course as he knew nothing was invincible and that his understanding of the magic of this world was still limited, but watching Jawsman be crushed by the earth golem only cemented the fact into his head. Had the former Barian not been caught off guard by Louise's presence and then captured, there would have been no telling how much longer the fight would have continued or who would have won in the end.

Ryoga didn't blame Louise for what happened though, as he was the one who allowed himself to get distracted and taken his eyes off the opponent. It was a rookie mistake if ever there was one. But it still didn't ease his mind in knowing there were people as strong as Fouquet in this world. What's worse was that it also meant there were bound to be others out there even stronger than the cloaked thief, and if that was the case then it meant Ryoga could no longer afford to hold back or hesitate in battle again less he wanted to end up getting himself killed.

Which meant that if it came down to it, he would have to use-

"Speaking of which, have you guys heard the rumors?" Kirche suddenly asked breaking Ryoga's thoughts.

"Rumors?" The water Duelist questioned.

"Yeah. It's actually a big deal from what I've heard, as it seems that Princess Henrietta may have to take responsibility for what happened."

"What!?" Louise yelled as she shot up from her seat. "B-But why? She did nothing wrong! It wasn't her fault!"

"Well it isn't that big of a surprise, is it?" Kiriche shrugged. "I mean the whole reason Fouquet was able to sneak in was because they had to pull the guards from the vault to the courtyard so they could guard the princess, right? And in the first place, I heard that Princess Henrietta decided to visit the institute despite the objections of her advisors."

Louise's eyes widened at the information. The princess went against the advice of her council? She didn't know anything about that. If that was true, then it meant the princess had come here regardless of the consequences…because of her.

Which meant she was partially responsible for what happened, as well as for the princess now being in trouble.

"Princess…"

* * *

 _Ryoga felt relief fill his body as his feet touched solid ground once more. "Thanks again for the save Tabitha. I owe you one."_

 _The blunette said nothing and just quietly nodded in response. Sylphid seeing the praise began to feel left out as she whined and nudged Ryoga's shoulder with her nose. He sent an annoyed glance at the dragon but quickly realized what she wanted and sighed._

" _Alright fine, I guess I owe you one too. Just stop with the damn touching already," Ryoga muttered reluctantly. This seemed to please Sylphid as she let out a pleased cry and licked Ryoga's face. "Gah! Hey what did I just say!?"_

 _If the dragon could give a childish smile it probably would be doing so right now._

" _Ryoga!" Louise's voice called out as she ran over with Cat Shark in tow. "Are you alright? You're not hurt are you?" She asked worried as she looked Ryoga up and down for injuries._

" _I'm fine. Just a few bruises and dragon spit, nothing major to worry about," Ryoga said as he wiped the saliva off his face and glared at Sylphid, who simply walked off with Tabitha._

 _Louise sighed in relief at seeing him unharmed before shifting into a very angry glare. "You idiot, just what do you think you were doing back there!? Getting into a fight with a powerful mage like that, you could have gotten killed!"_

 _Ryoga scoffed. "I didn't exactly have a lot of options at the time."_

" _That's not the point!" Louise exclaimed. "A golem of that size meant the mage was definitely a Triangle-class! And you went and just fought her without a care or concern?"_

" _I was handling the situation fine."_

" _Really? Because from what I saw you got captured and tossed into the air not long ago!"_

 _This time it was Ryoga who glared at Louise. "Only because_ you _distracted me! And where do you get off making comments like that when you were acting just as stupid?"_

 _Louise was taken aback by the words. "W-What is that supposed to mean?"_

" _You know exactly what it means! Me getting myself killed, what about you? I told you to run you idiot! What were you thinking by trying to stand there and fight that golem?"_

" _You expect me to run away when you were in danger? I wasn't going to abandon you! A mage who forsakes their familiar is not a real mage!" Louise answered back fiercely._

 _Ryoga was a bit surprised by the answer. Despite how she acted he forgot that at times Louise took the responsibility as his "master" very seriously, especially when it came to looking out for his safety. Though that still did nothing to ease his temper._

" _So what!? In case you forgot I can actually defend myself! I know how to fight and have my cards and Derf, but you can barely control your own magic! It should have been obvious that you didn't stand a chance against that thing!"_

 _Louise flinched at the words and broke her gaze from Ryoga, her eyes seeming to gain an almost downcast look to them. Ryoga noticed this change and became confused by the reaction, having expected the pinkette to just continue yelling at him. Before he could say another word though the two heard footsteps approaching and looked to see Henrietta running towards them, along with her entourage of royal knights._

" _Louise, Ryoga! Thank goodness, I'm so glad you're both alright!" Henrietta said as she stopped before them with a look of relief. Louise immediately took a knee and bowed her head._

" _Princess! I'm terribly sorry! You were put in terrible danger because of this and-"_

" _It was not your responsibility, Louise Francoise," Henrietta interrupted, kneeling down and placing a hand upon Louise's shoulder. "You could not have known this would happen or been able to stop it."_

" _But still!" Louise looked up only to be cut off once more, this time by one of the knights._

" _Your Majesty, I'm sorry but please hurry."_

 _Henrietta nodded to the guard before turning back with a soft smile. "I must report this incident to the Palace right away. I wish we could have had more time to spend together."_

" _Princess…" Louise muttered saddened. Henrietta just continued smiling as she pulled herself and her friend up from the ground._

" _Don't worry. I know we'll definitely see each other again in the near future. Until then, please take care of yourself Louise Francoise," she hugged Louise briefly before letting go and facing Ryoga. "And you take care as well Ryoga. Make sure you keep your promise and continue to look after my dear Louise would you?"_

" _Of course," Ryoga nodded firmly, Cat Shark mimicking the action beside him. Henrietta smiled and bowed to the duo before turning away and leaving with her knights who quickly surrounded her protectively. Louise watched with a worried expression as she held a hand over her heart._

" _I hope the princess doesn't have to take responsibility for this."_

" _What do you mean?" Ryoga asked curiously despite having an idea of what she meant._

 _Louise looked down as her concern only seemed to grow. "Lately I've been hearing a lot of bad rumors about the palace and princess. Not that worrying about it does me any good, but I don't want her to be blamed for what happened here."_

 _Ryoga said nothing in reply as he watched Louise's expression before looking back at the direction Henrietta left, the sun setting upon them all for the end of a very unexpected day._

* * *

" _This is my fault. She came to the school because of me, and now…"_ Louise's head hung as guilt continued to consume her. Beside her Ryoga watched the pink-haired girl, knowing full well what she was thinking and feeling.

He could have told her that everything would be fine. He could have said that Henrietta would be alright and be able to handle herself. He could have told her that she had nothing to worry about.

But if he did any of those things it would probably be a lie.

He had once been king after all, and he knew that as a ruler it usually fell upon him to take the responsibility or blame whenever something major happened within his kingdom, especially if it was on the level of Fouquet's assault on the school. He was pretty lucky seeing as his kingdom was a very peaceful land with very few conflicts, but even he had experienced that sort of fallout several times, and was fully aware that it was not something that usually ended in positivity.

Of course, if what Kirche said was true then Henrietta definitely had some fault in this whole incident with Fouquet. He understood her wanting to be there for Louise during her moment to shine, but the princess had ignored her advisors and the safety issues dealing with her arrival, and most importantly had forgotten the one rule all leaders must follow. That the people come before the individual.

A lesson he had been forced to remember the hard way.

Before anything else could occur the doors to the classroom opened as Colbert stepped through with a very serious look about him. "Miss Valliere! Miss Tabitha! Please come to the Principal's office immediately!"

The confusion brought about by the professor's words echoed through everybody's mind. Just what was going on now?

* * *

A few minutes later Ryoga, Louise, and Tabitha were all standing in the middle of Osmond's office as the headmaster, Colbert, Longueville, and several other professors stood around them. According to Colbert an important piece of information regarding Fouquet's whereabouts had been recently discovered, and the young teens were being called in because of their involvement with Fouquet during her assault on the school, especially regarding Ryoga and Louise since they had both fought the thief directly. With the seriousness of the situation the atmosphere would have already been tense enough as it was, except for one slight and unexpected annoyance.

"Why are you here again?" Ryoga asked Kirche, who was standing beside an equally bothered Louise.

"Oh it'll be fine darling. Besides this sounds rather interesting don't you think?" The Germanian replied with a wave of her hand. Kirche had neither any involvement with the incident nor reason to be there but had followed anyways out of sheer boredom. Though seeing as nobody had yet to kick her out the old man probably didn't see her presence as an issue, though Ryoga mentally prepared to toss her out the nearest window if she tried anything.

It seemed Louise was sharing similar thoughts based on the way her fist tightened at her side. "You…" she began only to stop when Osmond coughed loudly into his hand catching everyone's attention.

"If we may get started, Miss Longueville you say we have a lead?" Osmond addressed his secretary.

"Yes sir. Upon questioning various folk from the nearby town, we have gathered information about sightings of a suspicious shadow entering and leaving a deserted shack in the woods," Longueville reported.

"Just because you've heard some rumors doesn't mean it's our thief," Ryoga commented aloud, earning a few glares from the professors and Louise.

"Perhaps not," Longueville continued, seemingly underailed by the interruption. "However, while listening to several of the testimonies I attempted to sketch out the figure that was seen by the townsfolk."

Longueville reached into her robes and produced a rolled-up parchment of paper before handing it to Osmond. The principal took the scroll and opened it, his eyes narrowing as he observed what was on it. After a moment of examination he turned the paper towards the three students and Duelist.

"What do you think?"

The four leaned forward to get a better look at the picture. After a few seconds Louise looked back up and nodded. "This is Fouquet! There's no doubt about it!"

"Oh yeah, it's her alright," Ryoga agreed, Tabitha doing the same. The drawing was done from charcoal and only consisted of quick sketches and shading, but the outline and build of the figure closely matched the likeness of the real thief. He could definitely attest to that as he had been the closest one to her and had had the most confrontation around her.

Yet for some reason a feeling of uneasiness grew in his stomach as he looked over the image.

"We should report this to the Palace immediately. We can ask the Royal Guards to send some men and capture Fouquet and retrieve the Rune," Colbert suggested.

"If we drag our heels that much then Fouquet will catch on to what we're doing and get away," Osmond countered, his tone and posture showing a much more serious attitude than his usual self. "We must get the Rune of Destruction back with our own hands, and regain this Institute's honor that was stained by that thief. To those of you who are up to the challenge, I ask you to raise your staff up and declare such!"

Silence overtook the room as the professors looked between each other and began quietly muttering amongst themselves. Osmond looked around hoping to see who would take the challenge, but after a moment he was surprised to see nobody raising their staff. Instead they all seemed to fidget in place and refused to look him in the eyes.

"What's wrong? Are there no nobles who wish to raise their fame by capturing Fouquet?" Osmond asked again hoping to encourage one of them, yet none of them made a move. Before he could try again a loud scoff broke the silence.

"Cowards," everybody looked over to Ryoga as he glared at the professors with disappointment and disgust. "You call yourselves nobles and mages, yet all I see are fucking cowards."

All eyes widened, save for Tabitha's, at the boy's words as Louise turned to him. "Ryoga! You shouldn't say such things to the professors!"

"You know I'm right Louise!" Ryoga shouted back, his gaze kept firmly on the elder mages. "This isn't about the fame or fortune. These guys just don't want to put their life on the lines and risk dying. I can understand being afraid of death, but they're supposed to be the teachers of this school and setting an ideal image for the students to live by. Yet it seems when the chips are down they just turn tail and run," his words pierced deep into the adults as they looked bothered and hurt by his accusation, though none retorted when his eyes fixed upon them. "Even you Louise had more guts then them, and you were being stupid about it."

"Hey!" Louise cheeks burned red, though she wasn't sure if it was because she was just insulted or complimented. Based on Kirche's chuckles it was probably the former.

"E-Even so, there's no reason to say such harsh words Mister Ryoga," Colbert said trying to defend his fellow professors. "Fouquet is a Triangle-class mage that has powerful control over earth and wind magic, as you no doubt saw yourself. She has broken into many different noble's houses and stolen their treasures right from under them. And those she has fought against were utterly crushed by her power. You were lucky to get out as you did, so it would only make sense for us to be afraid."

"But Mister Ryoga also has a point, doesn't he?" Longueville suddenly defended, much to everyone's surprise. "We are nobles are we not? We have a stature to our name and title, and cannot afford to be seen as weak to anyone, especially a thief. If we continue to hesitate she could end up escaping, and we cannot allow ourselves to be defeated by a silly fear."

Osmond nodded. "Such fine words indeed Miss Longueville. It is no wonder I choose you as my secretary," the green haired woman smiled at the praise and bowed while Osmond turned to address the professors once more. "I understand the dangers of what I am asking you, but it is in times like these that we must not give into fear or despair. We must remain strong and show courage so that those of a younger generation can do the same. So I ask once more, is there any one of you who will stand up and accept the task at hand?"

Ryoga looked around the room hoping to see if there was any change but there was still no reply. The nobles all still had fear etched on their faces and seemed to just look away ashamed, the sight of which made the Duelist teeth grind.

"I will go!"

The tension was suddenly broken as to everybody's shock, Louise raised her wand to the air.

"Wait what?" Ryoga questioned unbelieving. Did Louise even realize what she was saying? His surprise only increased when Kirche suddenly lifted her wand as well.

"I will go as well," the redhead announced calmly.

"Zerbst?" Louise looked to her rival confused who just smirked back.

"I can't afford to just sit back and lose to a Valliere now can I?"

"Why you-"

"Tabitha?" Kirche cocky nature broke as she looked past Louise, drawing everyone's attention as they witnessed Tabitha also raising her staff silently. "You don't have to do this you know. This is a problem between Louise and I."

"...I'm worried about you two…" was the soft-spoken reply from the bluenette.

"Tabitha…" Kirche's lips curled into a smile as did Louise's, both touched by the fact that the usually lonely girl wanted to help them.

"Hey, are you all fucking serious right now?" Ryoga's stern voice caused the trio to face him. "You do realize how strong this Fouquet is supposed to be right? Don't forget I fought her and barley came out alive. This isn't some game you're playing here. You can really end up dying if things don't turn out well."

"Even so, I can't just sit back and do nothing!" Louise declared. "You said it yourself, we need to set an ideal image for everyone else, and it was because of us that Fouquet managed to get away in the first place. As a noble I refuse to step away from this and do nothing!"

"That was meant for the professors you moron," Ryoga grumbled and scratched the back of his head. "Though knowing you there's no way you'll back out of this. Just make sure you stay behind me when things get bad alright?"

"Eh?" Louise blinked confused. That wasn't the response she was expecting. Noticing her confusion Ryoga let out an annoyed huff.

"What, you thought I was going to leave you alone? Don't be stupid. I'm you're 'familiar' remember? I'm not just gonna let you go by yourself and get killed because of your own idiocy," Ryoga looked down and rubbed Cat Shark's head as his lips broke into a grin. "Besides I was planning to volunteer anyways. I got my own score to settle with Fouquet after all. That Duel of ours was interrupted before a winner could be decided, and I don't leave things like Dueling half finished. Isn't that right buddy?"

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark meowed in agreement.

"As expected of you darling! You're so cool!" Kirche complimented with desire-filled eyes.

Watching the interaction Osmond couldn't help but chuckle at the four younglings. Naive they might have been, but they had a courage and will to them that was sadly missed amongst many students from this generation, and apparently the professors as well. It was something to be admired, and while he would have preferred an older and more experienced mage to handle the situation, he knew that people like Ryoga and Miss Valliere would probably still do something regardless of his decision, just like Ryoga had done when that maid Siesta had been taken away. He couldn't stop them if he tried, meaning it would be better to simply let them do as they wish and have faith that they would be alright.

"It's decided then. I will leave this task to the four of you," Osmond declared catching everyone's attention and surprising many of the professors. The group of four quickly straightened themselves at his words and stood at attention as Osmond gestured over to Ryoga, Louise, and Tabitha. "As these three have personally witnessed Fouquet with their own eyes they will have the best chance at identifying her. On top of that, Miss Tabitha here is a Chevalier Knight, despite being at such a young age."

"Knight!?" Louise shouted surprised.

"Is this true Tabitha?" Kirche asked equally amazed. Tabitha said nothing and simply nodded in acknowledgement.

Ryoga didn't voice his opinion like the others but even he couldn't hide his astonishment at this reveal. With how highly the nobles held their own magic and names above commoners he didn't think they would accept or be granted other titles onto themselves like knighthood, especially at this age like Osmond said. In fact, the last time he had heard of a Chevalier this young was with Durbe, so knowing that this quiet girl was on the same level as his old friend spoke highly about her level of skill and ability, and was something to be admired and watched carefully.

"Furthermore, Miss Zerbst is from an established military family in Germania," Osmond continued as he gestured to the redhead. "I also hear that her flame magic is very strong as well."

Kirche seemed to puff out her chest in pride at the words, making Louise stare with jealousy while Ryoga just rolled his eyes.

"And then…" Osmond turned to Louise, who looked eager to hear whatever praise she would be given. Coughing into his hand for a moment the headmaster continued. "Miss Valliere over here is a daughter of the Valliere family, which has had several excellent mages, and…well…" Osmond paused as he tried to think of something positive to say. "She has a very bright future…and uh…oh that's right! Her familiar is an excellent swordsman and a powerful water mage that overwhelmed Guiche de Gramont, the son of General Gramont!"

To say Louise was let down by the knowledge that it was _Ryoga's_ actions that were the most popular amongst her accomplishments was an understatement. It was like watching a balloon rapidly deflate before your eyes as Louise's expression became distraught and slack-jawed while one of her eyes began twitching. Kirche restrained herself from laughing aloud at the face her rival was making while Ryoga wisely chose to say nothing.

Osmond quickly collected himself and became serious once more. "In any case, this institute of magic will be looking forward to your hard work as well as your duties as nobles! May fortune favor you on this mission and bring you all back safely!"

The three girls nodded and raised their wands together in a sign of respect and acceptance of their mission, while Ryoga simply smirked behind them with Cat Shark.

"Old Osmond, if it will help them I will serve as their guide," Longueville suddenly volunteered as she stepped forward. "I know where the cabin is located, and it would be best for at least one of us experienced mages to accompany them should the worst happen," her eyes briefly glanced to the other professors who looked away ashamed.

"Will you do so Miss Longueville?" Osmond asked to be certain of her decision.

"I had already intended too from the start," Longueville said smiling.

Osmond nodded and smacked his staff end to the ground. "Then from this moment your task has begun. Good luck, and may Brimir smile upon you all."

* * *

After the meeting the established group of five humans and one Duel Spirit quickly gathered some supplies for the trip and made their way out of the school grounds by the back of a horse-drawn wagon, with Longueville being the driver as they headed towards the location that Fouquet was rumored to be at. Hours passed by as they traveled the dirt roads and eventually moved onto a path that led into deep forest, and after such an extended period of time the quiet and slightly tense atmosphere of the ride, the silence was finally broken with only one inevitable outcome.

"Gah, I'm bored!" Kirche announced with a pout. "There's nothing to do while we're waiting."

"Deal with it," Ryoga remarked, leaning back in his seat with his eyes closed and facing the blue sky while Cat Shark laid next to him sleeping with its' head in his lap. "Until we actually get to the cabin you'll just have to deal with the silence. Learn from your friend over there. She at least knows how to not annoy people."

As the water user pointed out Tabitha was once again reading a book she had brought along and hadn't said a word the whole trip. Ryoga had done similar in terms of silence, having gone between a mixture of meditating and patting his Duel Spirit's head to give it the attention it craved.

"But there's nothing else to do," Kirche complained again. "Sheesh, for what sad reasons do I have to come and catch a thief?"

"Then you shouldn't have even come!" Louise declared, not caring to deal with the redhead's complaints.

Kirche glared across at the pink-haired chibi before an idea popped into her head. Grinning excitedly, she stood up and moved to the other side of the wagon before forcibly sitting between Louise and Ryoga, whose head shot up immediately at the sudden feeling.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ryoga demanded to know.

"Well it occurred to me that I'm here because I'm worried for my dear darling," Kirche cooed as she began leaning against Ryoga's arm, making sure to angle it between her impressive bust. "After all it's not like you can count on Louise to protect you, right darling?"

"What is that supposed to mean!?" Louise shouted angrily.

"It means what it means. After all what do you plan to do if that golem shows up again?" Kirche questioned.

"That should be obvious! I'll just beat the thing with my magic!"

"Magic? Whose? Don't make me laugh Zero Louise!"

The two rivals leaned over and glared at each other fiercely, sparks of electricity seeming to shoot from their eyes. Their actions only served to make Ryoga pinch the brow between his eyes to hold back the growing migraine. Beside him Cat Shark's ears twitch before its' head perked up at the noise, having been awoken from the shouting as it glared at two for disturbing its' slumber.

"Mrrow mrrow?"

"Just them being idiots again," Ryoga muttered irritated. Seeing that they weren't going to back off he motioned Cat Shark to get off before grabbing Kirche by her shoulder and pulling her back from Louise. "If you're going to argue like an old couple then leave me out of it," Ryoga said as he stood up and moved to the other side of the wagon with Cat Shark before sitting next to Tabitha, who glanced at the purple-clad boy briefly before continuing her reading.

"But Ryoga!"

"Darling!"

"Zip it!" Ryoga's harsh glare and shout silenced the two immediately. They threw one last glare at each other before turning away with a huff. Ryoga just sighed and leaned back once more to try and enjoy the silence.

"Oh, right darling! I almost forgot!"

Well that lasted all of five seconds.

Ryoga sent a very displeased glare at Kirche only to pause and blink in disbelief at what he saw.

"You forgot this!" Kirche extended as she held a sword out to him. Specifically the same "sword" she had purchased to try and impress him before.

Several questions processed through Ryoga's mind as he stared at the thing. First, where the hell had she kept it? Second, hadn't he already explained that the "sword" she bought was nothing more than a damn trophy? Heck despite Derflinger's rusted state the sentient sword was a much better tool than this stupid thing. Third, where the _hell_ had she kept it!?

Louise seemed to voice his thoughts, at least one of them. "Oy Zerbst, Ryoga already rejected your stupid present remember? Besides he already has a much better sword on him."

Kirche huffed. "Oh please, such a cheap thing won't do him any good in a serious crisis. He'll need a real weapon to defend himself if he gets into danger."

"I beg to differ," Ryoga said, remembering how well Derf had proven to be in his battles against Mott and Fouquet. Hell, Ryoga was pretty sure the sword would argue with the redhead about his ability if he wasn't asleep right now.

"See, he doesn't need it! So take you're little gold toy somewhere else," Louise boasted happy about Ryoga's decision.

Kirche growled at the smaller girl only to suddenly gain a curious look. "That reminds me. Darling you're a fallen noble like Fouquet right? You wouldn't happen to know why she steals things would you?"

Ryoga was taken aback by the question. He had nearly forgotten that lately his "title" in the school had changed to that of a "fallen noble", which now that he thought over shouldn't have been something so easily forgotten considering Louise practically declared it to everyone at the exhibition. Yet it never really occurred to him to learn exactly what that meant in the grand scheme of things.

"It's not as simple as you might believe," the reply surprisingly came from Miss Longueville. "Don't forget that despite being mages, many nobles have been demoted from their nobility to commoners' status for various reasons. Most of the time they disguise themselves as guardsmen or turn into criminals in order to survive," she closed her eyes as a sorrowful smile appeared on her lips. "Even I am one of those that have been demoted from nobility."

Everyone save Tabitha looked surprised by admission, none more so than Ryoga. She was a fallen noble? He almost didn't believe it based on how she spoke and seemed to hold herself, yet he could tell she wasn't lying. If she was indeed telling the truth, then did that mean she had somehow lost her house and title and was now on equal terms with a commoner like Siesta?

Was that why everyone thought he was one? Did they think he had lost his royal status or something, and that because of it he didn't care for titles or nobility and preferred the presence of the common folk? That maybe because of the way he acted and spoke it made sense for him to have been someone brought down from a more wealthy and privileged lifestyle?

Now that he knew what the title actually meant…he found it actually rather fitting.

He lost his kingdom in his first life because of his quest for vengeance. He and Rio both lost their family and fortune and struggled to survive when they were reincarnated as humans. And of course, he lost the Seven Emperors both due to his sealed memories, and during the final war with Don Thousand and the Astral World. In a way, he understood what it meant to lose your life and name far better than anyone else, and because of this Ryoga felt some sympathy and understanding towards the green-haired woman.

"But wait Miss Longueville, you're Old Osmond's secretary aren't you?" Kirche asked curiously.

"Yes, but Mr. Osmond isn't too picky about the titles of nobles or commoners," Longueville explained.

"Oh? In that case, what was the reason you lost your nobility?"

Longueville said nothing and just continued smiling, however there was a very slight twitch of her body that no normal person would have noticed. Ryoga however was not a normal person and caught sight of the action immediately, causing a frown to form on his face.

"It's alright isn't it? I'd really like to hear all about it," Kirche continued pestering.

"You're being rude Zerbst!" Louise shouted.

"Oh come on, aren't you curious?" Kirche smiled back. "I mean if she's lost her nobility like darling then she must have a story behind it don't you think? Maybe they're really similar to each other and have a tragic past or something! Or maybe they got into implicit relationships, or even-"

"Enough Kirche," Ryoga interrupted, his voice seemingly tense. "Leave it alone."

Kirche pouted. "Eh? But darling aren't you curious as well? I mean you two have something in common after all. I was only trying to-"

"I SAID DROP IT!"

Everyone, even Tabitha, looked startled by the sudden outburst as Ryoga directed a furious glare towards Kirche. "Whatever the reasons may be, they're _hers_ to keep and tell who _she_ wants, and not something for you to just play with. So either drop the subject or you'll be finding your own way back to the school."

"D-Darling?" Kirche flinched at the threat. She wasn't being serious or anything with Miss Longueville, she was just trying to mess around and have some fun. Yet once again it seemed her actions only served to anger Ryoga. What's worse was that the way he was looking at her was similar to the night she tried to first seduce him, which also brought back the same pain and confusion she felt that night.

"Ryoga…" Louise looked concerned. She knew there were moments where he went off in anger, but what had caused it this time? Was it Kirche's rudeness, or something else entirely?

"It's quite alright Mister Ryoga. I'm sure she meant no harm by it," Longueville spoke up as she looked back towards him. "As you said, we all have our fair share of secrets, but I've gotten used to people constantly asking about mine. Miss Zerbst questions don't really bother me."

"Even so, it doesn't give her the right to barge in on your privacy like that," Ryoga defended. "You have your reasons for being here, and whatever they may be, they're yours to either keep or reveal to who you wish. Not ours to just intrude upon selfishly."

Longueville's eyes widened at the boy's words, almost as if not having expected them, before she smiled and faced the road again. "Perhaps, but I can handle myself. You need not worry about me."

Ryoga frowned but relented and dropped the topic as silence filled the wagon once more. Needless to say, there were no more arguments or conflicts for the rest of the trip.

* * *

A couple more hours passed by before the group finally reached their destination, the cabin rumored to be housing the thief within plain sight. They quickly parked the wagon out of view and made their way towards some nearby bushes as they watched from a distance for any signs of the thief, though so far it seemed as if the area was rather quiet.

"Is this really the place?" Louise asked as she looked at the supposed hideout. While the cabin was large enough for someone to definitely hide in it also looked really old and abandoned, as if it was on its' last hinges and ready to fall apart just from a gentle breeze alone.

"According to our information this shack is where Fouquet was last seen," Longueville stated.

"But it's just an old charcoal-burning shack. Why would she be here?" Kirche asked confused.

"Things aren't always as they seem. Just because something looks innocent enough doesn't make it so," Ryoga claimed, eyes narrowed as the memories of "Shingetsu Rei" flooded his mind. Shaking it off he turned away from the cabin and to the others. "We shouldn't all go at once. I can scout first and see if anyone's inside, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to detect the kind of magic she can use if its' something I haven't seen before."

"In that case Tabitha should go with you. She's always been good with those sorts of things," Kirche suggested, the blue-haired girl nodding in agreement.

"In that case the rest of us will stay here until you give a clear signal," Longueville said firmly, which everyone seemed to agree on.

Ryoga and Tabitha silently made their way to the side of the cabin and approached one of the broken windows. Ryoga peaked his head up to check inside and saw that it resembled an ordinary small house with a rather large fireplace, though it was completely covered with dust with no signs of anyone having used it or having anywhere to hide. He pulled back and gave a small nod to Tabitha, who waved her wand and whispered a few words as a wave of magic flew around the cabin.

"There seem to be no traps," Tabitha assured after a moment of waiting.

Despite how that was supposed to be a good thing for some reason her words didn't comfort Ryoga. Something felt off about this whole thing that he couldn't quite place. Regardless there was nothing to stop them from exploring now as he waved to the others. "Alright, the coast is clear you guys!"

The other three females sighed in relief while Cat Shark meowed happily. They quickly made their way over and regrouped at the cabin's entrance, staring at the closed door before them.

"So who goes inside to look?" Louise asked only to be answered when Tabitha suddenly entered the cabin alone.

"Tabitha!" Kirche called out as she ran after her friend.

"Hey! Don't just go off on your own!" Ryoga shouted at the duo, letting out a frustrated grunt as he did. "Tch, dammit. Louise, Cat Shark, stay out here and keep an eye on things."

"Right," Louise nodded while Cat Shark gave a salute of acknowledgement.

"In that case I'll scout the surroundings to be safe," Longueville announced before turning around and walking off. Ryoga's eyes narrowed slightly on her before turning back himself.

"Be careful Ryoga," Louise quickly called out, looking almost worried. Ryoga paused and smiled lightly before making his way inside the cabin.

Upon entering Ryoga found Tabitha near the back of the cabin as she looked around silently, not even noticing his entrance. Kirche meanwhile was near the door searching through an old dresser before turning her attention to him.

"About time you showed up. Was worried you'd miss all the fun," Kirche joked. Ryoga wasn't having it though.

"Do you intend to just be a pain in the ass all the time?" he responded back harshly, making Kirche flinch again. "Forget it. Have you found anything?"

Kirche shook her head. "Not yet. We've started combing over the place and see if we could at least find any clues, but so far nothing."

"Well keep searching. Leave no corner or board unturned until we're sure there's nothing here."

Kirche nodded and went back to searching as Ryoga joined the two. The trio scouted through the entire cabin, what little there was of it anyways, and based on the amount of dust that was around Ryoga deduced that this place hadn't seen much use in a long time. If someone had been here, they probably only did so rarely and didn't bother to stay very long.

Several minutes passed by of looking around the room, opening drawers and peaking behind every crevice and corner they could find, but nothing was found. No trace of Fouquet, no sign of the Rune, nothing at all.

It felt off. Was this really where Fouquet had been seen?

"Gah, this is pointless!" Kirche announced as she slammed another empty drawer closed. "There's nothing here, and at this rate I'll end up getting covered in dust! Let's just go back outside for now and think up a new plan or something."

Ryoga scoffed but didn't argue with Kirche's point. As it was now they were just wasting time, and even if the Rune wasn't here they couldn't risk staying for long. They'd just have to regroup with Louise and Longueville and-

 **BA-BUMP!**

Ryoga froze and looked down to his Barian pendant. _"Again?"_ He wondered as he lifted the pendant up, the pulses echoing out once more in his palm. Had it sensed something again? But where?

"Rune of Destruction," Tabitha's quiet voice suddenly spoke out. The Duelist and Germanian turned to her confused only for their eyes to widen upon seeing her holding a small black box with magic symbols on it.

"Ehhh!? No way!" Kirche exclaimed. She and Ryoga quickly went over to look at the cubed object. "It's so tiny. Is this really it?"

Ryoga was making his own analysis about the box. It certainly fit the description Osmond had given about what to look for, but just like Kirche he had his own doubts about its' authenticity.

 **BA-BUMP!**

" _Well at least one of us thinks otherwise,"_ Ryoga thought glancing down to the pendant. It was reacting to the box it seemed, which more than likely meant that this was indeed what they were looking for. _"But even so...this isn't right."_

All of this wasn't right. The cabin's condition, the rune being here, no sign of Fouquet anywhere. This all felt wrong. It all felt too easy. Too expected.

Almost like-

"AHHHHH!"

Ryoga's eyes widened as he snapped around at the sudden scream. "Louise!?"

Before the trio could react the entire cabin suddenly shook as the ceiling was ripped off its' hinges. Blinded for a moment by the sudden sunlight the group looked up to see a large earth golem standing above them. A golem that looked near identical to the one that attacked the school.

"Fuck! It was a trap!" Ryoga yelled, reaching behind his coat to grab his Duel Disk. Tabitha acted first and quickly moved in front of him and Kirche.

"Nied Iss Har…" Tabitha chanted as she lifted her staff to the golem. A second later a large torrent of wind gathered around the tip and launched at the golem. The attack collided with the giant enemy but seemed to do nothing as it didn't even flinch.

"In Ex Bet Flame, Fire!" Kirche shouted as she lifted her own wand and unleashed a wave of flames on the titan, this time actually causing it to stumble back a little from the burning element. However this also proved ineffective as it quickly extinguished the flames with a brush of its' arm. "No way, we can't match this thing?"

"You can't!" Ryoga pushed past the two, his Duel Disk and D-Gazer equipped as he drew six cards. "But I can! Jawsman, rise up!"

Water surged from outside the shack drawing the earth titan's attention. It didn't have much time to ponder what was happening when it was met with a series of razor sharp teeth, as the mouth-covered spirit leaped from the water and tackled the golem sending them both crashing onto the ground away from the cabin.

"What the heck!? That's not Big Jaws is it!?" Kirche exclaimed confused, Tabitha mimicking her reaction at the sudden appearance of the new and terrifying monster. Did Ryoga have two familiars? But how?

"No time to explain! Just run!" Ryoga shouted.

Not needing to be told twice the girls followed him out of the cabin just as Jawsman crashed into the building, crushing what remained of it. The earth golem moved through the rubble towards its' target only to be smacked back by Jawsman biting down on its' arm and tugging it to its' side.

As the fight continued between the two titans Ryoga looked around the dust covered field. "Louise!? Louise where are you!?"

"Ryoga!" Louise's cry drew his attention as he saw her and Cat Shark racing towards him.

Before she could get close the ground between the two groups suddenly erupted into a large geyser of stone and dirt that quickly began molding together, as a second golem suddenly formed and towered over group. Ryoga cursed when the golem turned in his direction and hurled a fist down at his group, forcing them to jump away in different directions to avoid the attack as it impacted the ground and caused a massive explosion to form around it. The golem groaned at its' missed targets before retracting's its' arm and turning towards Ryoga once more, almost seeming to ignore Kirche and Tabitha.

"Looks like someone's mad at you huh partner?" Derflinger's voice suddenly came from Ryoga's side.

"Well about damn time you woke up!" Ryoga shouted, jumping back to avoid another fist crashing into the spot where he stood.

"How could I not with all the commotion?" Derf asked jokingly. "Regardless it seems Fouquet's little construct is targeting you specifically. She must still be pissed off from before."

"After me huh? Well I'm not gonna make it so easy for her this time!" Ryoga declared. He quickly grabbed two of the cards in hand and slapped them onto the Duel Disk. "Come forth! Killer Rabca! Shark Sucker!"

Two spiraling waves of water formed before Ryoga as a fish-like creature formed out from each. The first was orange in color and had an elongated snake-like body covered in several blade-like fins, while its' mouth consisted of a series of sharp edged teeth. The second was purple and smaller in size compared to its' aquatic brother, with a huge underbite and a series of sucker like appendages on top of its' head.

"Even more familiars?" Kirche questioned, unable to believe what she was witnessing.

"You haven't seen anything yet!" Ryoga shouted as he glared at the approaching golem. Consequences be dammed for now, this wasn't the time for petty secrecy. Not after how serious his fight with this earthen bastard went before. Yet despite the seriousness Ryoga couldn't stop the light chuckle that escaped from his lips. "I've been waiting a long time to do this you know, so feel honored to be the first one to experience it from this world," he raised his hand to the air and pointed towards the sky. "Level three Killer Rabca and Shark Sucker, Overlay!"

The two monsters released bubbling growls as their bodies suddenly transformed into a set of glowing blue auras. The auras rapidly soared into the air as a red swirling vortex of energy formed between Ryoga and the golem, making the titan halt its' advancement at the sight of strange power and watch as the two glowing spirits flew down into the vortex.

"With these two monsters I build the Overlay Network!" Ryoga shouted, the Barian pendant shining before him with a crimson light. "Xyz Summon!"

The vortex glowed brightly before exploding outwards in a pillar of light as a large figure erupted from the portal and roared. It looked like two massive sharks that had orange metal bodies and were attached together by some sort of large apparatus with a glass dome on each shark's head and a crescent-shaped wing in the front. And floating along its' body circling it continuously were a pair of golden orbs of light.

Ryoga smirked as a black card formed in his hand. "Come, Underwater Airship - Aero Shark!"

The newly summoned monster flew high into the air and released a vicious and bubbly roar into the area, its' appearance seeming to halt everything going on, even the fight between Jawsman and the other golem, as everyone took in the sight of the giant flying creature.

"W-What is that? Xyz Summon? Aero Shark? Just what is going on!?" Kirche yelled out, her mind unable to process all that was happening at once. Even the normally stoic Tabitha looked wide-eyed and had her jaw slightly hanging as she watched the events play out.

"That's…an Xyz?" Louise whispered as she looked at the new creature. Beside her Cat Shark continuously meowed excitedly at seeing another one of its' brothers come out after so long.

When Ryoga demonstrated and explained to Louise about his deck and cards and how they worked, she spotted the black-colored ones being kept separated from the main deck and asked why that was. She nearly fell over in shock though when Ryoga suddenly gave one of the most sincere and honest smiles he had displayed to her, almost as if he was truly happy regarding her question. He then went into detail over these "Xyz Monsters" and how they were summoned, though she didn't really get it at all. But to see it like this now before her eyes, the noble felt as if she could finally understand some of the reasoning behind Ryoga's joy.

Meanwhile with Ryoga the water user had the biggest grin possible etched across his face. He had been waiting for so long to test out his Xyz cards again that he had forgotten how much excitement it brought to him every time he performed it. While Cat Shark had been a simple accident and one that he was still happy to have done, the former Barian couldn't help but feel frustrated that he couldn't risk testing the true Xyz Summoning on academy grounds lest he cause trouble with it.

Which is why despite the situation he was in, Ryoga couldn't bother to hide the absolute excitement and thrill that was running through his body.

"Woah partner, this is…woah!" Derf couldn't say anything else, having felt the surge of energy flow through him when Ryoga did that weird summoning thing. It was like nothing he'd felt before.

"Yeah, it is," Ryoga chuckled and turned back to face the golem. "Hope you enjoyed that little display Fouquet, wherever you are. Because while you may have been the first to witness this accomplishment, you'll now have to pay the price as well!" Ryoga quickly reached towards the black card on his Duel Disk and grabbed one of the cards underneath it. "I activate Aero Shark's effect! By removing one overlay unit, I inflict damage equal to the number of cards in my hand!"

The flying submersible roared as it flew higher into the air and one of the orbs flew forward in front of it, exploding into a ray of sparks upon its' front wing.

"Take this! Air Torpedo!"

Aero Shark roared and made a one-hundred and eighty degree turn as it dive-bombed down towards the golem with insane speeds. As it dived the beast mouths opened up and three shark looking shells suddenly shot out from them towards the golem. The golem simply watched confused as the shells flew through the air before suddenly splitting apart into twelve thin torpedoes, all of which impacted the massive earth titan before it had any chance to respond.

The result being a massive explosion of fire and smoke that engulfed the giant and sending a rain of rock and dirt debris everywhere.

The shockwave caused nearly everybody to tumble over, including the other golem and Jawsman. As they looked on and watched the smoke eventually clear up, what remained of the golem chasing Ryoga was a large rubble of broken rock and dirt, and two little stumps of rock that used to be its' legs, which quickly began to crack apart and topple upon the rubble themselves.

"N-No way…such power…is this darling's true strength?" Kirche muttered as she stared on in utter shock and amazement. Beside her Tabitha's surprised expression was gone, instead being replaced with a more hard and serious one, almost as if she was scared.

Louise's gaze remained the same, her eyes remained fixed on the event as she processed what just happened. This golem, while not nearly as big as the one that Fouquet summoned at the school, was still made from a triangle-class mage with incredible skill and magic. And the one at the school had given Ryoga such a hard time from what she heard. Yet just now he had defeated a very similar golem with just one attack and almost no effort at all. It was as unbelievable as it was incredible.

Yet for some reason Louise felt a twinge of pain fill her chest at the thought.

Ryoga smirked at the sight of the destroyed golem, his posture relaxing at seeing the destructive power his Xyz had displayed. It looked as though he was right all along. The power his Xyz monsters possessed was just as strong here as it was back in his world, and because of that they couldn't be summoned like his other Duel Monster cards without properly Xyz Summoning them. Though given the result before him, Ryoga had no issues with that anymore.

The celebration was immediately cut short though when Jawsman's roar was heard to Ryoga's right. He turned to see what was happening only to be greeted with the spirit's large body crashing right in front of him, sending him hurdling into the air from the shockwave.

"Ryoga!" Louise's cry rang out as she watched Jawsman shatter into light, while the original earth golem slowly trenched its' way towards the Duelist.

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark quickly flew to its' master's side and nuzzled him worried. Ryoga groaned for a moment before pushing himself up and grabbing his shoulder where he landed.

"I'm fine, just forgot about that second bastard for a moment," Ryoga flipped to his feet and growled at the approaching enemy. "You things are a pain in the ass you know that!? Aero Shark!"

The Xyz Monster roared and soared at the golem with ramming speed. Before it could make impact however the ground below the flying cyber fish shot upwards and collided into its' stomach, knocking it out of the air and sending it careening into the nearby trees.

"Aero Shark!" Ryoga yelled, caught off guard by the sudden attack. His confusion was answered when the earth that attacked his Duel Monster swiftly grew and shaped together before forming into yet another golem.

"You got to be kidding me, a third one!? How many of these things can that lady make!?" Derflinger shouted.

Ryoga didn't have time to think or answer back as the newly summoned titan turned and hurled its' fist at him. Cat Shark seeing the danger quickly grabbed its' master's back and carried him into the air, barley avoiding the strike as the ground below its' fist collapsed. Cat Shark flew away from the colossus with its' master only to cry out and nose-dive with him to avoid a second swing from the other golem.

"Darling!" Kirche called out worriedly.

"I'm fine!" Ryoga shouted back as Cat Shark continued to maneuver the two of them to avoid the golem's assault. "Don't worry about me, just get out of here with the Rune!"

"But we can't just-"

"There's no time to argue! Tabitha call Sylphid and get to the sky now!"

Tabitha, who had been silently watching the events till now, looked over at Ryoga as he and Cat Shark landed a safe distance away from the golems. The two made eye contact with one another and held it briefly before the bookworm gave a firm nod. Bringing her fingers to her lips she released a sharp and loud whistle to the open air, which was instantly replied with a loud screech as Sylphid flew from the high clouds above towards the battlefield.

Ryoga was relieved for once to see the dragon before turning his attention back onto the golem nearest to him. The enemy groaned and raised its' fist before bringing it down for another attack, which Ryoga quickly jumped back from while Cat Shark took to the sky to get away from the threat below. From the corner of his eye Ryoga could see Aero Shark engaging in battle against the other golem while the girls began climbing on Sylphid's back. No longer having to worry about them Ryoga quickly drew another card from his deck and looked it over.

Before he could debate using it or not the golem slammed its' foot onto the ground fiercely, causing a massive earthquake that nearly toppled the Duelist off his feet as the earth around him began to fragment and explode outwards. Ryoga braced himself against the wave of dust and stone hurdling towards him only for Cat Shark to once again fly down and pick him up before taking to the air to avoid the danger.

"Thanks buddy!" Ryoga thanked the feline spirit, which smiled back in response.

"Mrrow mrr-"

"Look out!"

Derflinger's cry came too late as a giant pillar of rock flew and struck Cat Shark from behind. The Duel Sprit cried out from the impact as it was knocked out of the air and its' grip on Ryoga was lost, causing him to plummet down towards the earth.

"Cat Shark!" Ryoga called out to the spirit worried only to quickly realize his own situation. Spinning himself upright he quickly drew one of the cards in hand and put it into the Duel Disk. "Equip Magic activate! Shield Fin!"

Ryoga held out his hand as light began gathering into his palm, which quickly shaped into a large blue shield that resembled a tail fin. Grabbing it close Ryoga braced himself against the shield as a blue aura began to form around him and the shield just before he slammed into the ground. The high-speed impact and resulting shockwave crashed straight into the shield's aura, which seemed to absorb much of the kinetic force into itself and protect its' wielder from any real damage. Unfortunately the impact came from a raised up pillar of earth, which due to the angle sent Ryoga careening off to the side and tumbling down some of the newly rubble earth before finally coming to a stop when his back smashed against a large boulder that was penetrating out of the ground.

"Gah!" Ryoga cried out loudly, his body feeling on fire from the pain that shot through his body. The aura from the Shield Fin may have protected him from the most part, but that didn't stop his body from feeling like a tossed around pinball. Gritting his teeth tightly to hold back from cursing Ryoga tried to ignore the sensation and shakily pushed himself up, only for a large shadow to draw his attention as he looked up to see the earth colossus standing over him with a raised foot.

"Partner!" Derf cried out fearfully.

"Shit!" Ryoga rolled and moved the shield towards the direction of the golem as it began to glow again.

Before the golem could try and squash Ryoga like a bug however, a small explosion suddenly erupted on its' back. While doing nothing to harm to earthen construct, the sudden attack seemed to distracted it just enough to cause its' foot to smash down away from Ryoga, who anchored himself against the dust and debris.

"Leave Ryoga alone!"

Ryoga's eyes widened. "Louise!?" He quickly pushed himself up and saw the pink-haired noble standing several yards behind the golem with her wand pointed at its' back. What was she still doing on the ground? Why wasn't she with Tabitha and Kirche?

He didn't have the time to think it over as the golem turned its' attention away from him and towards Louise.

"Run Louise!"

Louise either didn't seem to hear him or listen and swung her wand again, causing another small explosion to erupt on the golem's body. It didn't even seem bothered by the attack as it stepped towards her. She flinched at the sight but remained firmly in place and cast another spell only for the same result to occur, the minuscule damage quickly regenerating with ease.

"Get out of there Louise! You're no match for this thing!" Ryoga shouted as he jumped to his feet and ran towards her.

"I will not!" Louise shouted back as she tried another attack, the golem taking another step closer.

Ryoga cursed and ran faster only to be stopped when Cat Shark appeared at his left and tackled him to the ground, the two of them barley avoiding a giant boulder that flew right above their heads. Looking up at the direction it came from Ryoga saw the other golem being the one to toss it, only to be smacked down by Aero Shark once more as the Xyz grabbed onto its' arm with both jaws and began shaking back and forth viciously.

Ignoring the battle, Ryoga looked back to Louise to see the golem almost on top of her. "You idiot! This isn't the time for stupid heroics! You can't beat this thing with your level of magic!"

Louise's teeth grit together at the words, the same feeling from before slowly crawling into her heart. Why would he say that? Didn't he know what those words did to her? What watching him fight like this made her feel!?

She hated it! She hated this feeling!

She hated feeling so weak!

"I won't do it!" Louise yelled stubbornly. "I'm a noble! You don't call somebody a noble because they can use magic! You call someone a noble who never shows her back to the enemy! I won't be called Zero Louise forever!" She raised her wand up and channeled her magic again as the golem stood right in front of her. "Tiel Nidul Thunder!"

She waved the wand once more causing yet another explosion to strike the golem in the face. But the result was just as inefficient as the previous ones. The golem itself seemed to have had enough as it lifted its' massive fist up above the pinkette. Louise's face quickly filled with fear as her body froze up, realization overwhelming her and causing her to be unable to react as the fist swung down upon her.

"I activate Killer Rabca's effect! By banishing it from the graveyard I can negate an opponent's attack!"

A blue light suddenly formed in the path of the attack and stopped it in place, the shadowed form of Killer Rabca glowing within it. As the two forces fought for dominance Ryoga quickly flew at Louise with Cat Shark's help. The other golem seeing this tried to turn and hurl another boulder at them only for Aero Shark to ram it from the side and knock it over, giving Ryoga the opening he needed to reach Louise and grab her by the waist.

Just then a spark of light formed between the blue light of Killer Rabca and the fist of the golem before a large explosion erupted from between the two forces. Louise screamed and braced herself against Ryoga as he held her tight, the shockwave striking the two of them as a large cloud of dirt and smoke swallowed them and the surrounding area.

"Louise! Ryoga!" Kirche shouted from above as Sylphid hovered over the cloud. The two females and dragon watched and waited worried, looking for any signs of their friends.

No response was given back as the only sounds heard were falling rubble and debris. Once the smoke and dust began to clear though the forms of Ryoga and Louise could both be seen lying on the ground, with Cat Shark located not too far away from them. The Duel Spirit looked to be out cold and half buried under a pile of dirt, while Ryoga's back was covered in rubble and cuts as Louise lay on the ground below him, most likely from him having shielded her during the explosion.

After a moment of stillness Ryoga twitched and shakily pushed himself up, grunting in pain as he moved away from Louise and grabbed at his left shoulder. Louise stirred not a moment later, her eyes fluttering open before flinching as she pushed herself up and grabbed at her side. Confusion rang through her for a moment before she realized what happened, anger quickly taking over as she snapped a furious glare at Ryoga.

"What do you think you're doing!? Don't get in my-"

 **SLAP!**

A sharp and painful stinging sensation coursed through Louise's left cheek, her eyes widening in shock. She slowly lifted her palm to the burning pain and looked at Ryoga, who wasted no time in letting her collect herself as he grabbed her by the scoff of her shirt and pulled her forward face to face.

"YOU _FUCKING_ IDIOT!" Ryoga shouted furiously, his eyes burning with an absolute rage not seen before. "What the hell was that!? Were you trying to get yourself killed!? Who the fuck cares if you're a damn noble or not!? Who the hell cares if you can use magic or not!? It doesn't mean a damn thing when you're dead! Your name, your title, none of it means jack shit when you die! You only get one chance at life, so don't you dare go tossing it away so casually YOU STUPID FUCKING BRAT!"

Louise stared into the rage filled orbs of Ryoga, her words lost to her as his heavy breathing was the only sound heard between them. After a moment her head lowered in defeat, the shadow of her hair covering her eyes.

"What…what else am I supposed to do?" Louise whispered shakily, her voice sounding bitter and broken. "People always, always make fun of me, and it's frustrating. It's so frustrating. If I run away they'll make fun of me again and I'll have failed the Princess with the promise I made her. And yet…yet even that means nothing when it deals with you."

Ryoga felt the girl tremble in his grip but said nothing.

"You can call on all these creatures to fight at your side and listen to your every word, when I couldn't even make you a proper familiar. You can call upon all sorts of powers and magic at your fingertips, yet I can't even cast one spell properly. You can fight as well as any trained swordsman, cook amazing meals, and probably have so many other talents and skills, but I'm still a failure and a weakling…and it hurts. It hurts so much to think about because you're so much better than me," Louise's fist tightened. "You can do all these different things…have all these powers and abilities, all these talents and skills, and do whatever you want without any hesitation or…or needing me. How is that fair? How!?"

Louise hands grabbed the front of Ryoga's shirt tightly.

"How can you possibly understand when you've never been weak!? How can you possibly know what it means for someone like me!? How can I ever hope to be a proper noble if I can't even match someone like you!? How can I…how am I…" Louise's head turned up to reveal tears pouring down her face as she looked ready to break down. "How am I supposed to accept that Ryoga!?"

Ryoga's anger had completely faded by this point, his eyes softening at the sight of the sobbing girl. His grip on her loosened as she collapsed to her knees and tried wiping away the tears that formed, failing miserably in doing so.

"Louise-"

The sound of rocky movement and rumbling drew Ryoga's ear immediately. Quickly grabbing Louise's arm Ryoga picked her up in a bridal fashion and used all his strength to leap away just as the earth behind them blew apart. Gritting his teeth as he caught his balance the purple-colored teen glanced back to see both golems slowly approaching and Aero Shark nowhere in sight, meaning the Xyz monster must have somehow been defeated.

Sylphid's screech echoed from above as the dragon quickly landed beside the two. "Quickly get on!" Kirche shouted as she held a hand out to them. Ryoga nodded and lifted Louise up to the redhead, who looked surprised at the state Louise was in before frowning. "Hey snap out of it Louise. This isn't the time for your crying. Get a grip," she chastised as she hoisted the smaller girl onto the dragon's back.

"You too," Tabitha motioned to Ryoga.

He prepared to do so only to stop at feeling of the shockwave caused from the golem's footsteps, which were slowly drawing closer. After a moment of thought Ryoga stepped away and turned his back to the females. "No. I'll stay and hold them off."

Louise's head snapped up hearing that. "R-Ryoga?"

"But darling!" Kirche begged.

"No buts! Tabitha get going!" Ryoga ordered, his Duel Disk brought up as he prepared himself.

Tabitha gave a quiet nod and ordered Sylphid to take off, ignoring the protest of Kirche as she did. The Dragon roared and took to the sky as Ryoga watched them go. Once out of sight he slowly closed his eyes and exhaled loudly, trying to collect himself and his emotions.

"Well, this is quite the situation you've gotten yourself into huh partner?" Derflinger's voiced out suddenly. Ryoga's eyes opened and looked down at the sword.

"You sure pick the best times to put in your own two cents don't you?"

"Nah, I just like to make witty comments whenever the mood suits me. I mean you were doing so well before that I didn't want to kill your mojo you know?" The sword joked, but even Ryoga could tell that if Derflinger had eyes they'd be narrowed right now. "But it seems things have gotten more complicated huh? I don't suppose you got a plan to deal with them?"

Ryoga gave a gruntled laugh and turned around to face the golems. "Yeah. I think this duel has gone on long enough," he lifted the Duel Disk up again. "Pay attention Derf, cause I'm about to show you just what a Duelist can really do."

"Hehe, I look forward to it."

Ryoga smirked before focusing as his hand reached over and grabbed at the top of his deck, his Barian pendant glowing as he did.

"It's my turn! DRAW!"

Ryoga's swiftly drew the top card of his deck, ignoring the faint glow that emitted from it. Bringing it to viewing sight he smiled briefly before reaching for another card still in his possession. "I summon Big Jaws!" Ryoga placed the card down as a pillar of water emerged before the giant man-eating shark formed and screeched. "Then I activate the Magic Card, Surface!" A green colored card formed, displaying upon it a picture of a submarine rising from the ocean. "With this I can resurrect one of my lost WATER attribute monsters! Return, Shark Sucker!"

Another torrent of water formed as the smaller fish formed beside Big Jaws. The two fish creatures faced the two golems and let out gurgled roars, which the golems seemed to reply back with in a jagged and gravely tone.

"Two familiars again? But they're no match for those golems," Kirche said worried as she and the others watched from above, not willing to just abandon Ryoga.

Tabitha and Louise's face quickly filled with realization though, with the pinkette openly voicing their thoughts. "Two of them…could it be?"

"Make sure you watch carefully. Fouquet, Derf, Louise," Ryoga spoke to himself, his eyes gaining an almost bright glint to them. "This…is my real power!" He raised his hand to the sky once more. "Level three Big Jaws, Shark Sucker, OVERLAY!"

The two fish roared in unison as their bodies glowed and turned into blue light similar to when Aero Shark was summoned. As if to match the previous time a giant red vortex formed between Ryoga and the golems, with the two spirits flying into the air before spiraling down into the vortex.

"With these two monsters I construct the Overlay Network!"

As if recognizing what was happening the golems picked up their pace as the one nearest to Ryoga raised its' fist up in preparation of crushing the teen once and for all.

"RYOGA!" Louise shouted worried.

The Duelist didn't bother to look back or seem afraid. Instead he looked straight up at the golem as it swung at him.

"XYZ SUMMON!"

The ground trembled as a purple pillar of energy suddenly erupted from the vortex, the pillar shooting straight through the golem's arm and shattering it to pieces while the force of the impact knocked the construct off its' feet and caused it to fall onto its' back. As the energy soared into the air it slowly began to disperse as a new and large figure hovered in the air with two floating orbs of light surrounding it like Aero Shark.

Its' upper body was humanoid in shape, but the lower portion was long and extended with a set of silver spiked fins in place of legs. A larger set of fins were seen upon the back of its' shoulders like wings, while the figure's entire body was covered in black plated armor with purple colored spikes along its' chest, stomach, and shoulders. Its' helm was a mix of silver and black as a pair of red eyes glowed brightly from beneath. And finally, held tightly within in its' right gauntlet was what appeared to be a very long and double bladed red spear.

"A crimson spear emerges from the pitch black darkness! Come forth, BLACK RAY LANCER!"

The new spirit let out a fierce battle cry as it spun the spear in the air before bringing it down to point at the golems. Black Ray Lancer then flew down and stopped just before reaching the ground as it hovered beside its' master's side.

"Another one? Just how many familiars does he have?" Kirche gawked.

"This one is different," Tabitha murmured softly, her eyes locked onto Ryoga's form and his new summon.

Ryoga looked up at Black Ray Lancer, a calm and familiar sense filling him as the Duel Spirit turned to look back. No words needed to be said between them. Their bond was something that couldn't be explained in words and had no need to be. There was only one thing that needed to be said.

"Let's go, Black Ray Lancer!" Ryoga ordered as he drew Derflinger from his sheath. The spear wielding spirit nodded as they both charged at their opponents.

The golems roared at the approaching targets, the one that was grounded pushing itself up as its' arm regenerated and swung at the duo. Black Ray lancer opened its' left palm and held it out as Ryoga quickly jumped into the Xyz's hands before the two of them suddenly flew into the air at high speeds, completely avoiding the attack.

Black Ray Lancer soared high above its' opponent's heads before diving down and quickly positioning itself behind them. Being as large and lumbering as they were neither construct had the chance to turn or react in time as the Xyz quickly spun around and thrust its' spear out at the second golem from behind, the crimson weapon carving through its' back like wet paper before erupting out of the front in an explosion of destroyed earth. The golem groaned in pain and twitched as it looked upon the sharpened blade sticking out of its' torso, not being given the time to respond as Black Ray eyes flickered before the Duel Sprit swung the spear to side, cutting open the giant's stomach and causing it topple over from the sudden loss of mass.

The first golem finally turned around fully to attack but was caught by surprise when Black Ray Lancer hurled Ryoga straight at it. The Duelist didn't hesitate as he swung Derflinger at the titan's face, the blade's incredible strength and durability combined with Ryoga's Chaos fueled body causing the upper half of the golem's head to be sliced clean off. The golem roared in pain at the loss, not noticing as Black Ray Lancer quickly flew past it and caught its' master before flying a safe distance and quickly spinning around. Just like before the Duel Spirit roared and tossed Ryoga back at the opponent before launching itself forward at similar speed. The earthen giant didn't have any chance as both master and Duel Spirit swung their weapons and sliced off one of the golem's arms as they passed by it, with Black Ray catching Ryoga once more and taking to the air as the golem fell forward onto its' stomach.

"A-Amazing," Louise uttered as she witnessed Ryoga and his Xyz Monster handle the golems so easily. Kirche was for once speechless as she watched the boy she admired move with such grace and precision, while Tabitha seemed to be focused on perfectly memorizing everything she was seeing.

"Woah, not bad partner!" Derf shouted excitedly from Ryoga's grip. "You're way stronger than I ever imagined you'd be! That was one of the most awesome things I've ever seen!"

Ryoga smiled for a moment only for it to quickly vanish when he caught sight of Cat Shark on the ground. "Black Ray."

The Xyz nodded and flew towards the ground near the feline spirit. Once close enough Ryoga leapt from the Black Ray's hand and bolted across the battlefield to Cat Shark worried.

"Cat Shark, hey, you alright?" Ryoga spoke to the spirit softy, kneeling down and nudging its' shoulder to try and get it to wake up.

After a moment of no response and fear the feline spirit twitched and its' eyes opened up slowly looking at Ryoga. "M-Mrrow?"

Ryoga smiled and rubbed the cat's head between its' ears. "Yeah, I'm fine. You saved me and Louise back there buddy. You did great."

"M-Mrrow mrrow," Cat Shark seemed to smile hearing the words as it nuzzled Ryoga's palm. A small earthquake broke the comfort as Ryoga turned to see the golems slowly getting back up, their regeneration magic trying to kick into overtime.

"Damn, looks like it ain't over yet partner," Derf said irritated.

"Yeah. These things won't stay down unless the magic in them is destroyed or cut off," Ryoga stood up and smirked. "But that's no longer a problem now is it? Cat Shark, can you move?"

"Mrrow," the Duel Spirit nodded, pulling itself out of the pile of dirt and shaking itself off.

"Then get away from here and stay by Louise. Things are about to get very dangerous."

The Duel Spirit nodded and quickly flew off, understanding how serious its' master was about to be. Ryoga quickly jumped back into Black Ray Lancer's palm and the Xyz also flew up into the air, stopping only to hover above the two golems.

"Let's end this once and for all!" Ryoga shouted as he removed one of the cards underneath Black Ray's. "I activate Black Ray Lancer's effect!"

The Xyz let out a fierce cry as one of the orbs hovering around it flew into its' spear tip and burst into a shower of light. The spear suddenly began glowing a bright pink color alongside Black Ray's wings, before flapping open a sudden and fearsome cyclone of wind shot out from each wing and swallowed up the golems in their entirety.

"No way! He can use wind magic as well!?" Kirche exclaimed, wondering just how much more she could take of her darling's surprises. Even Louise wasn't expecting this given Ryoga's constant use of water magic. However, the reaction quickly died down when the wind dispersed and the golems appeared seemingly unharmed.

"Huh, what happened?" Louise said confused.

"Did it not work?" Kirche wondered.

"No, look," Tabitha spoke as she pointed at the golem that was stabbed through the chest before. The two rivals looked at it confused for a moment before quickly realizing what she was talking about.

"It's…not healing?" Louise muttered.

The golem also seemed to notice this as it looked down to its' chest confused. While most of the damage from before had regenerated the large gash in its' side had suddenly stopped gathering earth and seemed to be cracking apart. It was so confused by this that it didn't even realize the sudden presence of Black Ray Lancer as the Xyz's crimson spear cleanly pierced through the golem's face and ripped out the back of its' head.

"By removing one Overlay Unit, Black Ray Lancer can negate the effects of my opponent's power," Ryoga calmly explained, a wicked grin of victory etched into his face. "Meaning your regeneration is cut off. Go Black Ray Lancer! Black Spear!"

Black Ray let out a fearsome roar, its' weapon becoming engulfed in a bright purple aura as it swung the spear horizontally, completely beheading the golem as the earthen construct fell over and broke apart. Black Ray then spun towards the second golem, whose arms were only half regenerated, before hurling the spear through the air at the stunned opponent. The golem didn't even realize what happened as in the blink of an eye the spear pierced straight through its' chest and impacted the ground behind it, as the once seemingly invincible earth titan followed its' brother's pattern and collapsed back into a pile of earth and rubble.

Silence seemed to fill the air as the spear disappeared into a burst of light before reappearing in Black Ray's hand. When no other golems rose up or regenerated, Louise finally spoke.

"He…he did it…he actually did it," the pinkette's expression brightened with relief as she began cheering. "He did it!"

"You did it darling! You were amazing!" Kirche yelled out excitedly, laughing at the sensation she was feeling.

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark cheered happily alongside Sylphid, happy to see its' master having won.

"Damn partner, now _that_ was pretty cool. You've got one hell of a summon," Derf complimented.

"Yeah, I do" Ryoga smiled, taking a moment to catch his breath and turning to face Black Ray. The Xyz didn't make any sounds and simply gave a quiet nod, as if acknowledging the praise from its' master. Ryoga returned the gesture before looking up at the girls. "Now let's finish this up and-"

Ryoga's words were cut off as the earth suddenly began to shake once more.

"What the!?"

"Huh? W-What's going on now?" Kirche voiced as everybody looked around confused.

The ground continued to shake and grew more and more violent as several mounds of dirt suddenly began to rise up and take form around Ryoga and Black Ray Lancer. Within moments the pillars compressed and shaped themselves before finally finishing into three more golems, each one similar in appearance to the others as they formed a circle around Ryoga and Black Ray Lancer.

"No way!" Ryoga shouted as he looked at the newly created titans. "You got to be fucking kidding me! Just how many of you things are there!?"

From the back of Sylphid, Louise felt her heart fill with dread at the sight of the golems. She didn't even hear Kirche's protest or Cat Shark's worried cry, instead just watching with disbelief as the golems begin to slowly approach Ryoga. This wasn't right. This wasn't how it was supposed to turn out. Ryoga had already fought long and hard enough as it was, and now he was going to fight again against greater numbers while she had to watch helplessly?

" _No…I can't let this happen…I can't just sit by and do nothing anymore!"_ Louise's hands clenched tightly. _"I won't… I won't watch Ryoga fight anymore! I won't watch him die!"_

"Louise!" Kirche yelled surprised as the pinkette suddenly turned to Tabitha and grabbed the box containing the Rune of Destruction.

"I have to do something! I'm borrowing this so let me down!" Louise told before suddenly jumping off Sylphid's back and plummeted towards Ryoga, nearly giving Kirche a heart attack from the sight. Tabitha kept her calm and quickly cast a levitation spell on the pinkette, turning her rapid fall into slower and much safer descent, allowing Louise the opportunity to open the box and grab the Rune.

What she saw inside however made the noble girl's eyes widen.

"T-This is…?"

Down below Ryoga growled as he and Black Ray Lancer began avoiding and blocking the attacks from the multiple golems. How the hell Fouquet was able to produce this many summoning's and still fight was beyond him, but even still this wasn't good. Black Ray had only one Overlay Unit left and he doubted he could get every single golem to line up perfectly for him to use it on.

"Partner, tell me you've got a plan?" Derf asked worried.

"One can only hope," Ryoga muttered as he prepared to draw another card from his deck.

"Ryoga!" Just before he could complete the action the purple-clad Duelist looked up to see Louise hovering down towards him.

"Louise!?" Ryoga called out surprised, watching as the levitation spell canceled out and Louise landed on Black Ray's shoulder, grabbing onto one of the spikes to steady herself. "You idiot! What are you doing back here!? You need to get out of here before-"

"Ryoga, look!"

Louise interrupted Ryoga as she held out her hand and displayed the Rune of Destruction to him, the sight of which nearly made the former Barian drop his cards and Derflinger.

That…that was impossible. There was just no way. It had to be some kind of trick or hallucination from all the fighting. But as Ryoga continued to look at the tiny thing held in Louise's fingers, his Barian Pendant kept pulsing rapidly, erasing any such doubts from him.

There was no mistaking it. The "Rune of Destruction" wasn't just some old and ancient rune.

It was a Duel Monsters card!

"It can't be?" Ryoga whispered. How was this possible? What was a Duel Monsters card doing in this world? Ryoga didn't have time to think it over as Black Ray jerked to the side to bash away another strike with its' spear, snapping the water user out of his confusion and forcing him to focus on the situation at hand. "Louise, toss me the card now!"

Louise did as told and hurled the card at him, and much to her surprise it somehow cut through the air like a projectile rather than a card. Despite this Ryoga caught the card with almost no effort, just as he had done so many times before, and quickly examined the card.

This was…

"Ryoga?" Louise called to him only to scream when Black Ray suddenly moved to the left to dodge one of the golem's swings.

"Tabitha, Kirche! Get down here now!" Ryoga shouted as Black Ray dodged another attack before ducking underneath another and using the opportunity to fly between the golems and escape.

Black Ray quickly descended towards the ground and stopped a good distance away from the golems, allowing Ryoga to jump off and remove the card from the Duel Disk, causing the Xyz to vanish and making Louise fall to the ground butt first. Louise didn't have the chance to complain about the action though as Ryoga grabbed her by the arm and quickly ran over to where the others were landing.

"What's going on darling?" Kirche asked confused only to see the card in Ryoga's hand. "Wait, is that-"

"Save the questions and get off Sylphid now, both of you!" Ryoga ordered, the outburst demonstrating that now wasn't the time to question him. The two nodded and jumped off as Ryoga turned to Tabitha. "Tabitha, I need Sylphid to use her weight to hold us down and protect us the second I use this, understand?"

"Understood," Tabitha spoke, not questioning the reason as she nodded to her familiar. Sylphid seemed to understand and quickly positioned herself behind the four humans and feline.

"Ryoga, what's about to happen?" Louise asked worried.

Ryoga didn't reply and just looked back to the golems as they rapidly approached the group, seeking nothing more than to eliminate them once and for all. Looking down at the card in hand Ryoga's expression tightened, not knowing what would happen once he did this but praying it would work. He closed his eyes and lifted up the Duel Disk, holding the card up for activation but didn't slide it into place.

"Ryoga?" Louise called out to him. She didn't get a response and her fear grew as the golems got closer. "Ryoga!?"

Still nothing.

"Darling hurry up!"

"Partner any day now!"

"Mrrow mrrow!"

The cries of the others grew louder as golems got within close enough distance and raised their fist high into the air.

"RYOGA!"

The Barian pendant glowed brightly as Ryoga's eyes snapped open, their color shifting for the briefest of moments.

"Magic Card activate! BLACK HOLE!"

Ryoga slid the card into the Duel Disk, the device glowing with crimson energy as the card formed before the group and glowed brightly, despite that its' picture art depicted exactly what the name implied. As if to mirror the exact image on the card the atmosphere of the battlefield suddenly began to change, as the once clear blue sky rapidly shifted into a dark and black storm cloud, as thunder and lightning began filling the air. The wind rapidly picked up pace and began swirling towards the clouds as they parted to reveal what appeared to be a giant black void in the sky.

The golems halted their attack at the change and looked up at the void confused, only for a powerful suction to suddenly emit from the black hole and begin pulling the golems towards it. And not just them, but everything in the area, as the forest and very ground began ripping apart and tearing to pieces as they flew up towards the black sphere, looking to be completely eviscerated upon making contact with it. Ryoga and the others struggled against the pull as they held each other down while Sylphid covered them with her body and wings, digging her claws and mouth into the earth to try and resist the pull of the vortex herself. The same couldn't be said for the golems though, as their bodies began fragmenting and crumbling from the powerful suction, eventually reaching a point where their own weight couldn't hold them down and they were lifted off the ground and into the black hole, their bodies ripped apart and turning to dust in an instant.

The second the last golem was destroyed Ryoga quickly removed the card from the Duel Disk and deactivated the device. When it looked like nothing changed his fears began to grow, but after a moment the vortex in the sky slowly begin dying down, and after a minute or so it completely disappeared as the black clouds faded away and revealed the natural blue sky from before.

The group stayed in place, worried that the storm would come back, but after a bit they all loosened their grips and looked around to see the aftermath that was caused by the "Rune of Destruction." Though "aftermath" looked to be an understatement to what they saw. What was once a large forest now looked to be a wasteland, as dozens of trees were missing or hurled in places they shouldn't be, the ground was completely ripped apart and broken all over, forming large craters and holes that went who knows how deep into the earth, and the shack that had once housed Fouquet was nowhere to be found. It was as if a dragon had come through the area and rendered everything asunder.

"A-Amazing," Louise gawked at the scene, completely bewildered by the destruction caused from such a small item.

"That was…the Rune of Destruction's power?" Kirche uttered in absolute astonishment.

"Powerful…" Tabitha noted far more quietly than usual.

Ryoga mentally agreed with the trio as he looked down to the card in hand. Black Hole, a Magic Card designed to wipe out every monster on the field when activated. It was one of the most rare and powerful Magic Cards in Duel Monsters, yet even he never expected it to hold this sort of power outside the game. Which made it all the more confusing as to what the hell it was even doing in this world and how it could cause this much damage and…well...the name certainly fit it didn't it?

Rune of Destruction indeed.

"That was amazing darling!" Kirche shouted, finally breaking from her stupor as she suddenly pulled Ryoga into a tight hug, making him drop the card and struggle against her grip. "Not only can you summon multiple familiars, but you have this sort of magic power as well!? You really are my one and only darling!"

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark cheered in agreement as it tackled Ryoga's stomach, nearly knocking the wind out of him and making the situation all the worse.

"Let go dammit!" Ryoga shouted as he tried to remove the two from his body with little success. Louise broke from her own shock and quickly became angry at the scene.

"This isn't the time for your idiocy Zerbst!"

"But we won silly!" Kirche cheered with glee. "Well darling won, but you know what I mean! What else is there to worry about?"

"Fouquet," Tabitha quietly answered, the name seeming to halt everything and snap everyone back to reality and the situation at hand.

"That's right…" Kirche muttered as she released Ryoga and looked around defensively. "Those golems belonged to her didn't they? She was the reason this all happened in the first place."

"Which means she could still be somewhere nearby," Louise voiced as everyone began searching around.

"You would be right," everyone's attention was drawn to a familiar voice as they saw Miss Longueville standing nearby, leaning down in front of them as she picked up the Black Hole card with a smile. "Good job everyone."

"Miss Longueville, you're alright! Where have you-" Louise didn't finish as Ryoga stepped in front of her. "Ryoga?"

"I must say," Longueville continued as she removed her glasses and the bands holding her hair, allowing it to fall freely behind her. "'Rune of Destruction' certainly doesn't do it justice. It was far beyond anything I expected and blew apart my golems like they were nothing," the secretary of Osmond gave a wicked smile. "It was quite the showing, wasn't it?"

Ryoga and Tabitha quickly grew defensive as Cat Shark started hissing, while Louise and Kirche's eyes widened.

"'My golem'?" Kirche repeated stunned. "But then that means…"

"It can't be," Louise stepped back in disbelief. "Miss Longueville…you're Fouquet?"

Longueville, or Fouquet as she was now truly known, chuckled and nodded. Ryoga quickly snapped his hand to Derflinger. "Don't move!" Fouquet shouted as she held the card towards the group, making them all freeze in place. "One wrong move and I'll use this power to kill you and your little friends there."

Ryoga's eyes glared dangerously at the woman and slowly pulled his hand back. "So I was right all along."

"Oh?" Fouquet's brow rose curiously. "What do you mean?"

"This whole fucking thing. From the very beginning it felt off," Ryoga explained calmly, though inside he was anything but. "That sketch you showed us was far too detailed and precise for mere guesswork, and the fact you seemed to know exactly how to reach this place despite having only rumors to go on felt odd. But it didn't hit me until we found the 'Rune' without any sort of traps or defenses set up," Ryoga's glare grew fiercer. "This whole thing was a set up. A trap designed so that whoever chased after Fouquet would fall right into her hands and be victims to whatever sick intentions she had. But because of how everything was perfectly set up, it was almost as if Fouquet had known all along what to expect. Meaning she was either getting information from an inside source…or she was with us the whole fucking time."

"Ryoga…" Louise looked at the Duelist worried while Fouquet simply laughed in delight.

"Not bad. I'm actually surprised you were able to see that much when Osmond and his little lackeys didn't suspect a thing. Goes to show how gullible those old men really are huh? And of course, with my being here nobody would question if I suddenly disappeared as well, presumably being killed off like the others who joined me," the green-haired thief spoke with a mocking tone. "Though you're off about one thing little boy. While it's true anyone could have volunteered to come after me, I was actually hoping for you would be the one to do so, Mister Ryoga."

Everyone but Ryoga looked startled by the information, the Duelist's glare only growing harder at the statement.

"You wanted Ryoga? But why?" Kirche asked confused.

Louise gasped in realization. "His cards!"

"That's right!" Fouquet smirked as she looked directly at Ryoga. "Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the 'Rune of Destruction' was just like those cards you carry on you little boy. It was both intriguing and frustrating since I wasn't able to understand how to make the damned thing work. But since I knew you had access to such power and knowledge, it was only a matter of luring you out here and seeing if you could use the Rune. And I must say the result turned out even better than I had hoped."

"Bastard," Ryoga growled.

"Now now, no need to get angry. You would have come to the same conclusion had our roles been reversed," Fouquet's smile faded into a hard frown. "However, I'm afraid I can't let any of you walk away from this. Not only do you now know my real identity, but you boy are far too dangerous to let live, especially with power like this at your fingertips," Fouquet aimed the card directly at Ryoga causing everyone to tense. "Though before you die, I wanted to sincerely thank you boy."

"Thank me?" Ryoga looked confused.

"Yes, for two things in fact," Fouquet explained with a very casual tone, not even seeing those before her as a threat anymore. "The first was actually making this a challenge. I've been in this business for some time, but was getting bored of how easy and simple it was to rob from other nobles. It's fun to watch them squirm and run around like headless chickens, but there was nothing to ever challenge me. Nothing to give me a rush of adrenaline and see what I could really do."

Fouquet chuckled dangerously as her eyes seemed to light up with glee.

"That is, until _you_ showed up. You were a pest sure, but you were the first real challenge I've had in a long time. Do you know how hard it is to create and control one of my golems, let alone keep it in tact? Even for a triangle-class mage like me it still requires a lot of effort and practice you know," her smile widened further, gaining an almost excited and maniacal look to it. "And yet you kept beating it. You forced me to fight seriously and use my magic to its' absolute fullest, even forcing me to summon more golems then I'm used to. In fact, those last golems I summoned were nothing more than a farce. Had you struck them even once they probably would have just fallen apart at the seams. You pushed me beyond my own limits, and had you not used the Rune like you did this whole plan would have been for nothing. So really, I should thank you for giving me such excitement and joy. I'll be sure to always treasure it the next time I rob some daft and drunk noble blind."

Ryoga's teeth grit tightly together as he tried to restrain himself from charging at the woman. "And the other reason?" He demanded, wanting nothing more than to get this over with.

Fouquet paused at the question, her wild expression fading as she oddly didn't respond right away. She simply stayed silent as she stared at the boy, almost as if she was pondering her words for some reason. Just when it looked like she wouldn't answer a small laugh quietly escaped the thief's lips.

"For defending me back in the wagon," Ryoga and the others were taken aback by the response, especially when a soft and almost serene smile appeared on the green-haired woman's face. "It's been a long time since anyone has done that for me with absolute sincerity and no ulterior motive. I honestly didn't expect it. It was…nice to remember what that felt like," Fouquet's eyes gained a gentle and motherly look to them. "Maybe if things were different, I might have actually told you my story one day."

Ryoga frowned. "You…"

Fouquet's smile faded and her eyes hardened as she instantly shifted back to her more vicious personality. "But unfortunately, the world isn't so kind, and so now it's time for you all to die. Farewell, Kamishiro Ryoga," Fouquet lifted the card to the sky and grinned. "Magic Card activate, Black Hole!"

Kirche and Louise looked up fearful as Tabitha and Sylphid braced themselves. Yet after several seconds nothing seemed to change. The sky remained as blue as it was and there was no sign of any dark void anywhere.

"What?" Fouquet looked surprised as she held the card higher. "Magic Card activate, Black Hole!" She called out again, yet once more nothing appeared. No dark clouds, no storm, no vortex, nothing. "What going on!? Why isn't it-"

 **SHINK!**

Fouquet's eyes fully opened as red flew across her vision. A sharp pain erupted across her shoulder and chest as the card dropped from her hand and she fell back onto the ground, clutching at the open wound in pain as a warm liquid spilled through her fingers and she bit back the scream threatening to escape her mouth. A shadow loomed over her form as she froze in place and looked up to see Ryoga standing above her with Derflinger drawn, the blade dripping with freshly stained blood.

 _Her_ blood.

"B-But how? Why?" Fouquet uttered fearful and confused.

"You made three mistakes," Ryoga flipped Derflinger downwards and impaled the sword next to Fouquet's head making her flinch. "First, is that despite it being labeled as a 'Magic Card' it doesn't work like normal magic and needs a Duel Disk to be used," he bent down and picked the card off the ground. "Second, was thinking you could use a Duel Monsters card against someone like me, who has mastered the game when you don't even have an inkling of the concept. And third, was that aside from putting innocent people's lives in danger and even trying to kill us…"

Ryoga grabbed Fouquet by the collar and pulled her up, ignoring the pain she was in as he brought her face-to-face.

"You pissed me the fuck off."

The last thing Fouquet saw before she was knocked out cold was a pair of ferocious dual-colored eyes, followed swiftly by a tightly clenched fist.

As the thief's body hit the floor and remained unmoving, Ryoga held up the Black Hole card into view, staring at it silently as his mind raced for an explanation.

This card shouldn't be here. It shouldn't belong in this world. It shouldn't even exist, and yet here it was in his hands just like any other Duel Monsters card. What's more was that it the title it was given, "Rune of Destruction", meant that it had most likely been used once before in the past by someone else. Someone like him.

" _And Osmond_ knew _about this,"_ Ryoga's grip on the card tightened. Osmond had kept this "Rune" locked up in the fucking vault at the school this entire time, and never once mentioned that it might be something the water Duelist would have liked to know about considering it was the first connection he's discovered between this world and his _fucking home_!

The old man had some fucking explaining to do, otherwise _nothing_ would hold back the wrath of the King of the Barians.

* * *

 **Before I begin, I would just like to say that 2 days ago was the anniversary of Monty Oum's death. That man inspired many with his talent and ideas, including me, and I wish for everyone to go out and look at his past works to remember his greatness, as well as support Roosterteeth and other such people who continue to promote, expand, and grow upon Monty's ideals.**

 **His legacy will live on.**

 **Hey guys, been a while hasn't it? Half a year in fact. Sorry about that, just a lot on plate and focusing on my job. But I'm doing well and have refreshed myself for quite a bit. Sorry that these take so long but I hope the quality at least makes up for the time quantity. In any case I've also been getting new ideas thanks to rewatching the series and other Yu-Gi-Oh! worlds like ARC-V, which I could go on a rant about the rushed second half and ending but I wont.**

 **In any case thanks to this my ideas have started coming back and I have some hopefully good things I'll be able to write down soon. It may take long again sure, but I will do my best and try to ensure you guys get the bang for your buck from it. And well, your reviews and comments also help to encourage me and keep me going guys, especially if they also come up with unique ideas or perspectives on my story. It may help make writing easier and coming up with new plots better, so please make sure to comment or review whenever you can. Thanks.**

 **Now then onto the Reviews.**

 **ivan0061509: Thank you very much. Hope you enjoy this one just as much.**

 **duskrider: Thanks for the comment on the fight. It's a bit tricky to figure out what's too much or too little, but I hope this ending result is sufficient enough for you.**

 **xanothos: Well I didn't expect a chapter 16 review, haha. Thanks though, I am definetly wanting to try and write these ideas out, but focusing on one story for now so I don't overwhelm myself. But maybe in the future if I get enough time and experience I'll try my hand at it, so fingers crossed man! ;)**

 **The Flame of Judgment: Haha, thanks. Trust me I have no intention of leaving, but I will be busy so sorry for the wait. At the same time I'm glad you enjoyed the use of the effects in the Zero no Tsukaima world. Hope you enjoyed the displays here as well. Also DBZA is awesome. New Broly movie was AMAZING HAHA!**

 **Dunegon27: Thank you very much. I do plan to make this more than just a story regarding Dueling, but you'll see in time and I hope you enjoy what's to come.**

 **Guest: Thank you very much dude! Hope you enjoyed this fight just as much as the last one!**

 **Omega Porunga: Hope you are pleased! The reactions and cards came out for real this chapter, including the Xyz baby! Look forward to the future and wish me luck!**

 **HapHaxion: Thank you very much for checking out my story. Hope this chapter appeals to you just as much as the others did.**

 **And finally Guest #2: I will try friend. it isn't easy but hopefully this chapter will help to satisfy you for now.**

 **Well thank you all for the support. I will try and work on these more often if I can but it will be challenging balancing this and work, so wish me the best of luck. In the mean time, stay safe and have fun everybody!**

 **Also one last crossover idea before the end. Have fun.**

* * *

"Stop...please..."

 **CRASH!**

"Stop it...I beg you..."

 **CRACK!**

"Please stop!"

 **SHINK!**

Despite her cries they wouldn't stop. Tsukune blinded by his insane bloodlust and Inner Moka in some sick attempt to free him through death. The two of them engaged in a battle for survival. A fight in which only one would come out alive.

How did this all go so wrong?

Was the blood of a vampire really that strong and dangerous? She didn't know as she had only ever seen the results on Tsukune, but if this was the result of anyone who was given their blood, then part of her wished Moka had never given her Destined One that power to begin with.

 _"No,"_ she thought to herself as she hugged her arms tightly. _"Even then if it wasn't for Moka then Tsukune would have died long ago. He's only lasted this long because of her,"_ her grip tightened. _"And yet..."_

Yet was this really the end result?

Moka said the only results of someone devoured by vampirc blood was death or "degeneration into a Ghoul", but if Moka was trying to kill Tsukune was there really any result here that didn't involve death? Even when she tried to convince Moka and had Yukari and Mizore help, she had nearly been attacked by Tsukune. Could he really not see her anymore? Could he not hear or voice or realize who she was? Was this really to be his fate just because they wanted him to live?

 _"You think it's so easy to act human, when you don't even understand what it truly means to be a monster."_

Her nails dug into her head as she shook it in denial. She didn't want to believe _his_ words. Didn't want to listen and hear that _he_ was right.

He didn't know anything! He wasn't like Tsukune! Tsukune was kind and sweet where as he was evil cruel and vicious. Tsukune was forgiving and polite, where he was uncaring and dangerous. Tsukune's smile was sincere and honest, but his was a facade. A false illusion so that the prey could easily fall and be devoured by the predator.

He was-

 _"When the day comes that you see someone you care about become a true monster...THEN...you can have the right to judge me."_

 **CRASH! BAM! CRACK!**

Her eyes widened as she looked up to the sounds. She could see Tsukune's broken and bloodied form being beaten down by Moka over and over, the silver-haired vampire unflinching in her duty as she made every blow vicious and brutal. At the rate she was going Tsukune would really die.

...He...He would die...

He would die...

Tsukune would die!

"N-No!" She struggled to her feet, tears pouring down her face.

"K-Kurumu wait!" The young witch beside her shouted. She didn't stop though, trying to move her body despite the pain.

"Stop..."

 **CRACK!**

"Stop it...someone please..."

 **CRACK!**

She reached out weakly to the two vampires. "Please...someone..."

 **CRACK!**

Moka raised her hand up and pointed it into a spear like fashion, intending to end this battle.

"SOMEONE SAVE TSUKUNE!"

Moka swung down.

 **FHWP!**

Her eyes widened in shock. Her body frozen and unable to move at what just transpired. She could hear the gasp from Mizore and Yukari behind her, yet ignored them as she focused on the sight before her. Moka, holding Tsukune in her grip, her spear like fist lunged down at him.

And stopped at his throat by another hand grabbing hers.

"Don't you think that's quite enough, Moka- _san_?"

Moka's own eyes went wide, the red slit pupils staring into the violet orbs before her. "What are you-"

The grip on Moka's hand tightened. The next thing she knew she was being flung across the warehouse and crashing into the concrete ground, stunned and surprised by the action. Tsukune meanwhile dropped down to the floor like a cut marionette, the only thing holding him up being his knees and elbows planting themselves into the ground.

"Yare yare, I hear word that a kidnapping occurred and came to investigate, and what do I find? Dear Tsukune-chan being consumed by his vampire blood and the lovely Moka-san trying to kill him. Quite the climactic act wouldn't you say?"

She said nothing as she watched the person before her speak. His purple and blue waistcoat hugging his form as his red and purple two-part cape flowed behind him like a cloak as he ran a hand through his two-toned hair, a uniformly violet with pink highlights underneath.

"Honestly though, think about the audience attending your act. I mean you were about to scar our dear sweet Kurumu-chan. Can you imagine what it is like for a succubus like her to watch a destined one die? You know there's a good chance you would have killed her as well right?"

Moka pushed herself up shakily, her body still weak from the events before, as she glared at the boy. "Don't interfere Yuri. You don't know what Tsukune is-"

"Oh I know _perfectly_ well what's going on Moka-san," the teen called Yuri said sarcastically as he glared at the vampire. "And I also know that you were about to make a very _big_ mistake just now. Can you truly say this is what you want to do? What you desire?"

"I don't have a choice!" Moka shouted as she stood up, his fist clenching. "He's lost to us and you know it! This is a mercy only I can provide him!"

Yuri scoffed, his face expressing a mixed look of disgust and disappointment. "Only you can provide huh..."

"Grrrr..." Tsukune growled dangerous like a wild animal as he stood back up, his soulless eyes boring into the female vampire and purple-clad teen across from him.

"Ah and Tsukune-chan's back up again. He really can keep going like this can't he?" Yuri said almost mockingly. His eyes went back and forth between Moka and Tsukune, the two vampiric forces switching glares between each other and him. "Though between the two of you I wonder who will really last on their feet longer?"

"I won't repeat myself, get out of the way Yuri. If you don't..." Moka straightened herself and took a stance ready for combat. Tsukune did similar, though it seemed far more bestial and on instinct in terms of appearance.

Yuri said nothing at first, in fact all that could be heard was the growling of Tsukune. Then after a moment Yuri's lips separated as a sound emitted from them. It started low, but slowly grew louder and became recognizable to all.

Laughter.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Yuri laughed out loud, startling everyone before he suddenly stopped and grinned viciously. "You want to threaten _me_ Moka-san!? Knowing full well what I am and what I can do? You should remember that I won't take such threats lightly," he swung his left arm out, revealing a metallic device that seemed to resemble a shield with a large glass sphere in the center. It was dark purple in color with black trimming, and within the device, in a small slot, looked to be a deck of cards. "And besides, I can't exactly let you and Tsukune-chan kill each other now can I? It'll be a big mistake on either end if one of you ends up dead to the others hands, especially to those watching. We can't leave them standing there helpless and crying now can we?"

Kurumu could have sworn Yuri's eyes locked onto her's the second he said that.

Moka's expression hardened, her vampirc fangs pricking her lips as she tightened her stance. "It's the only way to save him."

"I'll be the judge of that," Yuri grinned as a violet energy blade resembling a sword formed out of the side of the device on his arm, the glass center glowing brightly.

The two vampires and Duelist stared off at each other like a Mexican standoff, waiting to see who would make the first move. Kurumu couldn't break her sight away from it, her heart beating rapidly out of fear and concern for Tsukune. But at the same time another emotion beat through her large chest. One that under normal circumstances, she would never consider seeing as the source of it was a constant pain for her and loved nothing more than to mess with her. But right now, that same source was giving her something she had nearly lost.

Hope.

"Please..."

Kurumu's knees caved in on themselves as she knelled to the ground and held her hands together almost as if in prayer. If anybody could pull off this miracle, if anybody could save Tsukune's life, it had to be him. As much as she detested him, as much as she reviled him, as much as she was utterly infuriated and annoyed by his presence...he was the only one who could do it.

"Save Tsukune...save him...Yuri..."

Yuri grinned, and without another word the three combatants charged at each other for the battle of life and death.

* * *

 **End**


	20. A Time to Discuss, A Time to Celerbate

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works.

* * *

After closing the wound on Fouquet and tying her up, Ryoga and the others made their way back to the academy with the thief and "Rune of Destruction" in tow. The trip didn't take nearly as long this time thanks to Sylphid's presence, the dragon allowing everyone to ride on her back while she carried Fouquet in her arms, ready to drop the thief at a moment's notice if she woke up and tried anything. Upon returning and delivering news of their success, Fouquet was immediately taken by Colbert and several other professors to the capital to be arrested while the Rune was returned to Osmond's possession, though not without him noticing the volatile glare emitting from Ryoga.

Word quickly spread through the academy about the group's success and soon everyone from the students to the teachers were greeting them with endless waves of applause and praise, which while Ryoga felt annoyed by and Tabitha seemed to ignore, both Kirche and Louise took in with great pride. Especially Louise, who despite her reckless actions during the battle Ryoga couldn't help but feel a little happy for. He could see the satisfaction and joy she was feeling from everyone praising her and figured this was probably the first time in a long time, if ever, that the pinkette received any direct positive notice from the school. It wouldn't last forever obviously, the Duelist giving it a week at most before the students went right back to teasing Louise and calling her a Zero again, but for now he decided to hold off on lecturing his "master" and just let her enjoy the moment while she could.

After all, a person can't go through life experiencing only the negatives. Otherwise they'd just end up like him.

A day later Colbert and the other professors returned from their trip to the capital, and almost immediately afterwards Ryoga and the girls were called to Osmond's office. Wasting no time the four went up and were greeted by the headmaster and Colbert, who took a moment to look the youths over with a sense of pride for their accomplishments.

"Before we begin I wish to congratulate you all once more for your success in capturing Fouquet," Osmond praised the group with a serene smile, to which the three noble girls bowed too. "Not many people would have been able to overcome such a dangerous trap like the one she set upon you. Yet here you stand, three students and a human familiar, having managed to do just that. If our professors had half the courage and strength you possessed maybe things here would run a lot more smoothly."

"And maybe if they were, we wouldn't have had to endanger ourselves in the first place," Ryoga muttered, though not quietly enough given the glare Louise shot him.

"However, it is that very reason that I must also apologize to you," Osmond continued, his smile turning into a more solemn and guilty frown. Louise and Kirche seemed confused while Ryoga and Tabitha simply waited for the headmaster to continue. "We were desperate to retain our honor and not be seen as weak in the eyes of the kingdom, but in doing so we lost sight of just what kind of danger we were placing you all in. To have ignored the possibility of a trap being set, let alone that Fouquet would have been with you all along, I could never apologize enough for that."

"And I as well," Colbert added with a light bow of his head. "I should have fought more to prevent you from going, or at the very least volunteered to accompany you. Please forgive me. Forgive us, for endangering you all."

"Professor…" Louise looked at the two senior men surprised, not having expected such response from them. With a shake of her head she smiled and put a hand over her chest with a light bow. "You need not apologize. It was an honor to take on such a task even knowing what lied ahead. To have been given the chance to serve this school and bring honor to both it and my family was something I've always dreamed of, and if given the chance I would do it all over again."

It was due to her back facing Ryoga that she didn't notice the hardened gaze that formed in his eyes at her words.

"Hmph, if you ask me it was a lot more taxing than I would have liked," Kirche huffed brushing aside her hair. "But I will admit it was actually kind of fun to be out and about like that. Plus I got to spend some quality time with darling and watch Louise screw up again. I'd call that a successful day if you ask me."

"Zerbst," Louise growled.

"What about you Tabitha? You don't have any problems with what happened do you?" Kirche asked purposefully ignoring her rival. Tabitha just shook her head in response. "And you'd do it again if asked right?" This time a nod was given. "Well there you have it. The three of us are perfectly okay with the situation so your apologies aren't necessary. Though we'll kindly take the praise," Kirche said clapping her hands together and giving a joyful smile. The two older men looked surprised by the cheerfulness before giving nods of appreciation to the girls, feeling a great weight lifted off their shoulders.

The only one who didn't agree with the scene was Ryoga, who was resisting the temptation to smack his head in disbelief. "Am I the only one here who has any logical sense to him, or is it just a thing with the females in this school?"

"Mrrow," Cat Shark shrugged beside its' master, the spirit not really getting human interactions in the first place.

"Oh darling I'm so sorry!" Kirche spun around to Ryoga having heard his comment. "I didn't mean to ignore you. Your opinion is just as important after all. How about I give you a kiss to make up for it?"

"I'm good thanks," Ryoga said stepping back from the redhead's reach. "As for my opinion, I actually agree with the old man in saying that what he did was stupid and foolish," the Duelist said with a cold sternness. His words brought pause to the atmosphere as everyone looked at him wide-eyed, though his attention was focused solely on Osmond. "You knowingly endangered the lives of your students, sent them to hunt down a dangerous criminal, and never bothered to consider the consequences until it was far too late. Had it been anyone else, or if we had made even the slightest mistake, you'd have had three corpses to send back to their homes and fourth with which to figure out what to do with," Ryoga's fist clenched tightly. "And why? Because of the stupid concept you people call pride."

"Ryoga-" Louise started to chastise only to be cut off.

"No. You asked for my opinion and I gave it. Besides, if there's one thing you should have learned about me by this point, it's that I hate when someone's pride makes them do stupid things," Ryoga directed his gaze to Louise when stating that. The implication being clear as day.

The pinkette squirmed under the gaze and looked away embarrassed. The memory of Ryoga's outburst when she attacked the golem was still fresh in mind and served as a reminder of how her pride nearly got her killed. With her now having a much clearer head than before even she could see how stupid she had been, especially with the small breakdown she had afterwards. The memory of which turned her cheeks even redder.

After a moment of silence Ryoga just sighed and shook his head. "Whatever. What's done is done so no point in getting worked up about it now. In any case what about Fouquet? Has she been handled or what?" He asked wanting to know the fate of the thief.

Osmond gave a firm nod. "Indeed. Professor Colbert has already informed me that Fouquet was successfully handed over to the Palace Guards and is now currently residing inside one of their finest dungeons. I have a feeling she won't be coming out for a long time," the old man let out a heavy sigh. "Still such a shame. To think my own secretary was the infamous thief the whole time. How could I have missed the signs?"

"Perhaps you were too busy staring at her panties to notice," Ryoga jested, though from the deadpanned look on his face it felt more like an accusation. The embarrassed cough that came from Osmond did nothing to help deny the statement, causing the others to stare at him in disbelief.

"I-In any event," Osmond continued hoping to avoid further embarrassment. "You can also rest assured regarding the Rune. It has been safely returned and secured in our vault once more, so there should be no further problems in the matter."

Ryoga let out a noticeably loud scoff. "Sorry, but you'll forgive me if I don't exactly find myself having much faith in your words."

"Ryoga!" Louise gave the Duelist another look that showed her disproval of his rudeness. Ryoga simply ignored her.

"You had the 'Rune' already locked away once and look how well that turned out. You really think doing the exact same thing will make it any better?" He questioned.

"We understand your concern Mister Ryoga," Colbert spoke up in reply. "But since the attack we have put up more security measures and extra guards to ensure that this incident does not happen again."

"Plus I doubt anyone would want to try their hand at stealing from us anytime soon after hearing what happened to Fouquet," Osmond continued.

Ryoga's distaste for the decision was written clear on his face but he knew he couldn't fault them for it, not entirely anyways. It was their choice on what to do with the "Rune" after all, and while he felt that keeping it in the same spot as before was just asking for more trouble, the two had a point in that nobody would be stupid enough to try their hand at robbing this place so soon after Fouquet's attempt. Especially once word spread about her capture. Plus, if what was said about upping the security on the vault was true then anybody who did try was going to find it a lot more difficult than the former secretary did.

It still didn't serve to ease the former Barian's mind however.

"In any case the matter has been put to an end thanks to your efforts. And with things finally back on track, you are all to be the guest of honor at tonight's Ball of Frigg," Osmond informed them.

"Hmph, naturally that is to be expected," Kirche boasted proudly.

"The palace also thinks quite highly of the effort you put into this incident, and I am sure they will reward you three in time," Osmond continued to say.

"A reward from the palace? Amazing!" Kirche cheered happily at the thought.

"Wait a second," Louise spoke as she realized something. "You said three? But that means Ryoga isn't…" she and the others girls looked to the Duelist in surprise.

Osmond frowned and shook his head. "Unfortunately since he is not a true noble by name the palace will not reward him, nor will his own efforts and actions be seen and recorded in the official dossier of the incident."

"No way," Louise looked saddened by the news.

"Wait, but that's not fair!" Kirche shouted defensively. She enjoyed getting praise as much as the next noble, but after what she witnessed and went through even she could see the unfairness of the situation. "Darling was the one who did the most out of us and was the one who captured Fouquet! If not for him we would have-"

"It's fine Kirche. I could care less about some dumb reward or fame given to me," Ryoga said shrugging.

"But darling-"

"I said it's fine," Ryoga's eyes narrowed with the message of dropping the subject. He then turned his gaze on Osmond, the headmaster noticing the look grow almost cold when doing so. "However, there is something I need to discuss with you and Colbert. In private."

It wasn't a request so much as a demand, something both of the older mages picked up on immediately as they glanced over to each other. The seriousness in the boy's voice and look was easily recognizable from their multiple interactions with him. Add to it that ever since he stepped foot in the office they had sensed a sort of tense atmosphere surrounding him, and it was clear that something was bothering the lad.

"Very well," Osmond nodded in agreement. "In that case, you girls are free to go and prepare for tonight's event. Make sure to dress your best and have as much fun as you can."

The three nobles bowed their heads and turned to leave. Louise stopped beside Ryoga though and looked over to him.

"Ryoga…?" She spoke his name concerned.

"Relax, it's nothing to worry about. I just need to check some things with them about the information. I'll be back to the room before you know it," the Duelist replied with a smirk.

Louise frowned. She knew Ryoga was lying to her and had a feeling she knew the reason he was doing so. Even so she decided to trust him and nodded before following Kirche and Tabitha out of the office.

The second the door shut, the atmosphere in the room seemed to change. Osmond and Colbert both tensed up as they felt a heavy presence fill the room around them, all stemming from the boy who was currently turned away from them. And based on what they were feeling they almost wished he would continue doing so. Even Cat Shark seemed to grow nervous beside its' master as it looked over Ryoga's face worriedly.

"So my boy, what is it you wished to ask?" Osmond asked deciding to break the tension first, though it seemed to do little as a whole.

Ryoga continued to stand there with his back turned and his posture calm. After a tense and nerve-wracking silence, he finally spoke.

"You knew…" Ryoga's voice was perfectly even and clear, yet the emotion hidden behind it was felt by the mages. It wasn't comfortable in the slightest.

"Hm? What do you-"

 **BAM!**

Osmond was cut off by Ryoga's palms slamming hard against the desk, causing everyone in the room to jump.

"DON'T SCREW WITH ME OJI-SAN!" Ryoga shouted, getting right up in the headmasters face as his eyes filled with an intense rage. "You knew! You fucking _knew_ there was a Duel Monsters card here! You knew it was locked away in that damn vault of yours the whole fucking time and didn't tell me!"

"Mister Ryoga!" Colbert yelled surprised at the outburst but Ryoga ignored him.

"Have you been playing with me this whole damn time? How long have you known about Duel Monsters? How long have you known about my world? About me!? ANSWER ME YOU BASTARD!"

Osmond said nothing at first, his shocked expression locked onto the boy before him. Eventually a look of understanding spread across the old man's face and he released a heavy sigh. "I see…so that's what this is about," Osmond looked down to his desk, his posture shifting in such a way that it seemed to truly show his age. "I understand your anger and confusion right now Ryoga, but please believe me when I say I was not trying to deceive or hide this from you out of any ill intent,"

"Bullshit!" Ryoga spat back, "You expect me to believe that when you had a card from my world locked away in your vault!? I told you all about my Duel Disk and world out of trust, yet you never once brought this up! If that isn't trying to hide something from me when you knew I needed answers, then I'd sure as hell like to know what you consider deceiving people to be!"

Osmond flinch guiltily. He couldn't argue that one. "Indeed…I suppose you're correct about that. However, despite how it seems the truth is I knew nothing about the Rune's true origins. It was given the name 'Rune of Destruction' because of its' sheer power and capabilities, both of which I witnessed firsthand. But even so I never knew what it truly was or how it worked until you told us about your world and Duel Monsters."

Ryoga looked confused before growing angry once more. "Cut the crap old man! You just said you witnessed what the card could do. Why would my explanation have changed anything?"

"True, I have witnessed what it could do," Osmond admitted looking back up. "But even so I never knew that the Rune of Destruction came from your world, nor that it meant to be used for a simple game. For me, it was simply a memento from a certain man."

Ryoga's anger paused at the words. "Certain man?" He repeated confused.

Osmond nodded and leaned back in his chair, his eyes taking in the ceiling above as he began reminiscing. "It's been over thirty years since that day. I was exploring the lands in hopes of seeking out treasure and fame for myself when I was ambushed by a large black wyvern and disarmed before I could defend myself. I thought that to be the end of me, but before I could be killed a silver barrier appeared and protected me from the wyvern's attack before knocking it back. That's when _he_ appeared from the forest, a man dressed in clothing I had never seen before. When the wyvern came back to attack he used the Rune to summon a powerful vortex that devoured the beast. The force was so strong I was nearly pulled in myself, but the man held me down and protected me until the vortex closed," Osmond turned his gaze towards Ryoga's Duel Disk. "He also carried a device on his arm similar to the one you possess. Thinking back now it was most likely another Duel Disk, though his was larger and differently shaped. It was also where the Rune was located, as well as another Rune that probably formed the barrier that protected me. At the time I didn't understand what they were or how they were able to do such things, but after meeting you and hearing your story, I can say that the man who saved my life was probably a Duelist just like you."

The full impact of the words hit Ryoga hard.

"A…Duelist?" Ryoga's eyes fully widened as his heart began racing.

Was it possible? Was he truly not alone in this world? Was there truly another person like him out there!?

Another Duelist!?

"Who is he!? Where is he from!? Where is he now!?" Ryoga pleaded to the headmaster.

Osmond gazed far away and shook his head. "Unfortunately, he is no longer with us. He had somehow obtained many terrible wounds and injuries before he saved me. I transported him to the academy and treated him with the best care possible, but in the end…"

"He died…" Ryoga finished realizing the implication. His head hung as the hopes of finding the man were dashed.

"In the end I was never able to figure out who he was or where he had come from. Up till the day he died when he was resting on the medical bed, he kept repeating the same thing over and over. 'Where is this place? I want to go back home.' I now believe more than ever that he came from your world."

Ryoga shook as his fist clenched at his side. "Was…was there anything else? Anything at all you can tell me about him?" He asked out of desperation. It was grasping at straws but he had to-, _needed_ to know even the littlest detail about his fellow Duelist. Just something to grab onto.

"I don't know for sure. While his clothing was very odd it didn't hold any noticeable features or items that could be identified. And while he did carry a Duel Disk and cards like you, the text on them was unreadable even for me," Osmond admitted saddened. "After his death I honored his actions and gave him a proper burial with his things. The Rune of Destruction however was offered to the palace for research and study, but as you can imagine nobody was able to understand what it was or how it worked. Eventually the Rune was sent here for safe keeping, and the story was kept a secret from the rest of the world."

"I can't believe it. To think such a story existed for the Rune of Destruction, and that it was a card from your world Mister Ryoga," Colbert spoke as he wiped his brow of sweat, having been completely overwhelmed by the events and story he heard. Ryoga didn't even hear him as his fist tightened even further.

"Dammit…dammit all!"

Despite the conflict and confusion he felt towards the situation, Ryoga had hoped that finding the card was a sign. A sign of a possible connection back to Heartland; a connection back to his home and friends. But in the end the card was from thirty years back to an owner that was long dead, meaning there was no way of figuring out who the man was or tracing back how he got here. Any chance for answers disappeared with his death, and only served to raise more questions and further frustrate the former king.

And boy did that piss him off.

"I'm truly sorry Ryoga," Osmond apologized. "It's true that when you showed me your Duel Disk and cards that I realized the Rune was possibly from your world. I wanted to tell you right away, but at the time I was unsure of how you would respond or what you would do with such knowledge, especially with how scared and confused you still were with our world. I simply wanted to give you the time needed to better integrate yourself here before revealing this information. But I now see it was a mistake to keep this from you, and that I only caused you more pain because of it. Please forgive me."

Ryoga looked over to the bearded man with lips pursed tight and teeth gritted. He wanted to shout, to scream, to lash out and let loose on the bastard for having been lied too about this information. Even if the information led to nothing it was still something regarding his home. It was the first clue he had discovered about a possible connection between the two worlds, and to have had it in his face the whole time and be kept hidden like this was unforgiveable.

"Mrrow mrrow?" Ryoga turned to see Cat Shark nuzzling his leg worried. The spirit looked up to reveal its' eyes glistening widely and its' fur being straightened up, a sign that it was feeling tense and nervous regarding the situation and could most likely detect Ryoga's feelings on the matter. The sight brought a sense of realization to the water Duelist, causing his expression to softened and his fist to uncurl.

Turning to the spirit Ryoga knelled down and began petting the kitten's head. "Sorry bud. Didn't mean to stress you out as well," he said softly with a reassuring smile. Cat Shark just purred in his palm and nuzzled back, the sensation helping to relax Ryoga further and clear his thoughts.

He knew lashing out in anger wouldn't solve anything. It would just make things worse. Sure he was pissed at the old man for hiding all of this, but he could also understand the reasoning behind it. If the situation was reversed he would have most likely done the same thing, especially if dealing with someone just as hotheaded and temper filled as himself. Hell, he had done so once long ago, and it wasn't like he wasn't still keeping secrets from the old guys either.

"I really need to relax more huh buddy," Ryoga asked Cat Shark. The spirit meowed in agreement making him chuckle. Pushing back to his feet he released a held breath and turned to face Osmond once more. "You said you were doing this only because you wanted to help me, right?"

"That's right," Osmond nodded.

Ryoga said nothing for a moment before letting out a tired sigh. "Then I guess there's nothing else too it," the response surprised both of the older men. "Don't get the wrong idea. I'm still pissed off for you keeping this from me, but I get why you did it. I sure as hell don't like it, but I get it. Besides if the guy's already dead then there's no reason to keep worrying about it," Ryoga's eyes hardened into a look that made the two men flinch. "Though just to be clear, there aren't any _other_ secrets you're keeping from me…right?"

"N-No, no. I'm afraid that is the only one you needed to worry about," Osmond chuckled nervously.

Ryoga looked for any signs of deception but only found nervousness and truth. "Fine, but I'm taking your word on this old man, just remember that."

"Of course, I understand," Osmond sighed in relief. After briefly collecting himself his own expression turned serious. "However Ryoga, I would ask that you keep the information about the Rune a secret. Now that we've learned the truth of its' origins it has only further assured me of just how dangerous the Rune can be in the wrong hands. We've already had one incident dealing with Fouquet, and despite our added security we don't need to risk someone else discovering this information and trying to get their hands on it, especially if they learn about the connection between it and you."

Ryoga nodded. "Not a problem since I wasn't planning on telling anyone anyways."

"If that's the case then everything should be settled now, right?" Colbert inquired, hoping the tension could finally be ended.

"Not exactly," Osmond and Colbert looked to Ryoga confused. "The issue of you lying to me may be settled, for now at least, but not with the card itself."

Osmond's brow rose. "Oh? I was led to believe that we had a firm understanding over the Rune's situation."

"To a degree sure, but that's not what I'm referring too," Ryoga said while sliding his hands into his pockets, his expression becoming hardened again. "You're right that keeping this information secret is the best option, but knowing how this world is word has probably spread already about the card's return. Normally that wouldn't be an issue since you said you've added more security to the vault, but the truth is we got lucky with Fouquet. I saw how powerful she is, and let me tell you she could have easily crushed your guards and probably still broken in if she hadn't been rushed for time during the exhibition."

"Even so we've assured that someone like her won't be able to do it again," Colbert defended. "We don't intend to make the same mistakes as before."

"And what if someone stronger shows up?" Ryoga countered. "You're still keeping the card in the same location, behind the same door, with only some added security measures. What if someone more dangerous than Fouquet appears to try and get their hands on it. This time you may not be so lucky on the casualties. Or do you really want to risk endangering your students again?"

That last comment was a low blow and Ryoga knew it, but it seemed to get the message across as the two mages visibly flinched from the implication. They didn't bother disputing the argument as they too had similar thoughts on the matter. The palace allowed the Rune to be kept at the academy the first time because of Osmond being the one who witnessed its' power firsthand. Being kept here again was more so a reward for Fouquet's capture rather than for security reasons, and if another incident did occur because of its' presence than there was no telling if the school would be prepared for it this time or if they could prevent anyone from getting hurt because of it. Especially with the knowledge both men now possessed.

"I suppose then you have a suggestion to help with safeguarding the Rune?" Osmond inquired.

"Yeah. Not only would it guarantee better protection for it, but also anyone who does try to come after it will be sorely disappointed," Ryoga assured.

"Oh?" Both headmaster and teacher gained curious looks on their faces. "And pray tell what exactly do you have in mind?"

Ryoga shrugged.

"Simple. Give it to me."

Both mage's eyes widened.

"W-What did you say?" Colbert asked, almost unbelieving of what he heard.

"I said, give the Rune-, no, the Black Hole card to me," Ryoga repeated with complete calmness and ease. "That card isn't seeing much use locked away inside a vault, and deserves to be wielded by a proper Duelist. I can't say whether that would be me or not, but if I was to die like that man who saved you, I would want to pass on my cards to someone who would use them right rather than let them be forgotten."

Complete sincerity filled his words as the former Barian would never wish for his cards to simply be forgotten. Despite the sins he committed in the past that same blame and punishment was not deserving on his deck. They simply followed his instructions and wishes because he wielded them. They weren't to blame for the atrocities committed, and it would destroy him knowing that the cards he loved were tossed aside or destroyed upon his death for something they didn't do. Yuma and Kaito would be in agreement with him if they were here, and he had a feeling the man who came to this world before him would feel the same.

"'Black Hole' huh? So that is the true name of the Rune. A most fitting name from what I recall of seeing it in action," Osmond's eyes seemed to gleam as he smiled.

"Sir this is serious!" Colbert exclaimed. "Mister Ryoga I realize the Rune is from your world, but do you realize what you're asking of us?"

"I do. And I understand you have your concerns regarding the idea. But this is about more than just honoring the memory of a fellow Duelist or protecting the school itself," Ryoga's gaze and tone turned icy cold. "This is about protecting everyone in this world."

That certainly startled both men.

"Protecting…the world?" Colbert inquired.

"That's right," Ryoga walked over to the nearby window to look over the school and landscape. "After the battle yesterday I thought over what happened, and with you confirming that another Duelist was here before me I know now that my fears are warranted. I thought I was the only one to have ended up here. The only one to have come to this strange new world. But knowing now that I wasn't and that there was someone before me, it can't be a coincidence," the purple-clad teen's vision glanced over the Barian's pendant's reflection in the glass. "If someone came here before me, that means others might come _after_ me, or are even already living in this world. Other Duelist like me."

Colbert's eyes widened in realization. "Which means!"

"That they could also possess the same abilities you do, and be able to bring these cards to life," Osmond spoke the thoughts of everyone in the room. They were not pleasant in the slightest, especially for Ryoga.

While still shocked that someone from his world had been here before, the revelation that this man could also bring his Duel Monsters cards to life was disturbing. The former king knew that his power of Chaos allowed him to perform such actions back on his world, and with it returning to him in this world it was only right to believe it to be the reason he could call his cards again. But did that apply to the person that saved Osmond? Did he too possess some sort of power from their world, or was there something about this world in particular that made it possible for anyone with a Duel Disk and deck to bring their cards to life?

The answer wasn't good either way.

"Even in my world Duel Monsters hasn't always been used with the best intentions in mind. Whole wars have been started because of it, so there's no telling what could happen if someone like that were to show up and able to do what I can do," Ryoga paused and looked down to his shark-toothed necklace. His fingers gently graced across it as his expression lightened. "I know I'm asking you to put a lot of trust in me based on a simple theory, but I can't risk watching it happen again. If the worst-case scenario should happen and someone who had my powers got a hold of that card with the illest of intentions…"

Memories of his friends and kingdom dying before his eyes filled the boy's mind, making him grip the necklace tighter.

Osmond and Colbert remained silent as they processed everything. The idea that there could be others out there with these sorts of abilities was quite unsettling. Not just for how much it could upset the balance of power in the world, but of how dangerous these individuals could be to the people. To hear that wars have been caused by such small items was terrifying, and if even half of what Ryoga discussed came to pass, the results would be catastrophic.

After thinking everything over Osmond sighed heavily. "I'm sorry, but I do not know if I can officially accept your request. While I understand what you are saying the Rune officially belongs to the Royal Family, and is only kept here at the academy under their orders. Even if the situation was to be explained I do not think the palace would be so open to simply handing the Rune of Destruction to a mere familiar."

Ryoga turned and frowned, clearly displeased by the answer. Before he could say anything though Osmond spoke again.

" _Unofficially_ however, it's not like anybody would bother to check inside the vault to see if the Rune was there," Osmond's eyes opened to look at the teen, a knowing and almost playful glint shining to them. "After all, with all the new guards patrolling the halls I doubt anyone could sneak by without being notice. Plus with all the seals and wards we've placed it would be almost impossible for anyone to forcibly break into the vault again, so it would make no sense for anyone to bother going inside to check on everything."

"Sir Osmond?" Colbert looked surprised by the words, quickly realizing what the headmaster was saying. "Is this really alright? If the palace finds out the school will be in serious trouble. You could even lose your position."

"I'm fully aware of the consequences Mister Colbert, but it is as the boy said. Because the Rune is from his world it would be safest in the hands of someone who knew how to properly use it," Osmond explained while crossing his hands over his desk. "The fact that he is the second person I have come across to have this power of 'Duel Monsters' tells me that this may not be the last we hear of it. And if so, then we cannot allow such power to be let into hands like Fouquet's again."

Colbert frowned at the thought. He knew full well the horrors of war and power gone out of control and would not wish it inflicted upon anyone else again if possible. While he still had some hesitation about the idea, if doing this could help to save more lives rather than take them, then he would support it fully.

"Very well. If you're sure about this Old Osmond then I will agree as well," Colbert said before turning to Ryoga. "I want you to know Mister Ryoga that while I think you are a noble person, I must remind you that we are entrusting the safety of the Rune, and in turn the safety of the school to you. If things get bad because of this the consequences will not only fall upon us but upon you as well. Are you willing to accept that?"

Ryoga smirked. "That was my intention from the start."

* * *

That night loud music and activity could be heard from the grand hall of the academy as the Ball of Friggs commenced. The entirety of the area was decorated with Victorian-era styled lights, dining tables, and all manner of exquisite food. The ball was always held as the closing act to the Familiar Exhibition, but because of Fouquet's heist the event had been canceled much to the dismay of many. Now that the thief had been captured however the ball was back in full swing in order celebrate the event.

Students and teachers mingled and ate to their hearts content, each dressed in their own formal and expensive looking attire and gowns, while several servants could be seen wandering around to deliver drinks or treats. The main topic of the night's conversation was of course the brave and successful capture of Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt, who had hidden her true identity in the very school as the secretary of Old Osmond, Miss Longueville. Everyone was filled to the brim with excitement and awe as the story was passed along, with the tale seemingly getting more eccentric and intense as it was passed. And of course, because of this the heroes of the story were being given a large amount of attention and popularity. Though the only one seeming to enjoy it was Kirche, the seducer of men frolicking amongst the other nobles gleefully.

From one of the corners of the room watching Ryoga and Tabitha sat together at a table, the bookworm having a plate of food in front of her and eating while on the ground beside the two Cat Shark at its' own meal from a bowl.

"You know, it's moments like these where I'm glad the attention is off me for a change," Ryoga said as he watched the redhead mingle.

Kirche had her hair tied up in a ponytail and was dressed in an, admittedly, beautiful purple gown that was decorated with red rubies. Surrounding her by the dozens where male students who were both flirting with her and questioning her role in Fouquet's capture. The Germanian seemed quite happy with the attention though as she laughed and smiled with delight, showing that she was definitely born for this sort of fame and stature.

Which was why Ryoga was ever so grateful to have _not_ been mentioned or rewarded for his part in Fouquet's capture. The last thing he needed was to have even more people bugging him than he already had.

"Prefer the quiet," Tabitha seemed to voice his thoughts as she took a bite of her food.

"Heh, that goes without saying," Ryoga lightly chuckled as he glanced over to the blunette beside him.

The bespectacled girl was wearing a teal-colored dress that was more lighthearted compared to everyone else's outfits. Whereas they were obviously showing off their wealth, hers was far more simplistic and looked to be one you could regularly find back in his world. Also unlike every other girl seen so far, she didn't have any sort of jewelry or makeup on and instead looked as naturally stoic and calm as always. Honestly Ryoga couldn't have pictured her with makeup or jewelry. It just would have ruined the natural image of the quiet girl, though the fact that she was devouring her seventh slice of pork was something to be both amazed and disturbed by.

When he arrived earlier he found her sitting in one of the corners of the grand hall, away from the large crowds and catering and instead choosing to be by her lonesome, something Ryoga could relate too. He was never one for parties like this even back in his kingdom. The last time he remembered attending such an event was the one held for the finalist of the World Duel Carnival, with him having spent most of the time outside and away from the actual party and guest, including Yuma. And seeing as he still wasn't fond of such festivities even in a new world, the former Barian decided to accompany the quiet girl in her solitude.

She didn't seem to mind though and the two of them spent the entire party in each other's company, with Tabitha eating away almost nonstop, somehow not getting fat or stomachaches from doing so, while Ryoga lazily watched everyone else in hopes of keeping himself from being bored. He even watched Guiche get yelled at by Montmorency for flirting with some female students again. Seemed that idiot would never learn.

But even with all the events going on the former Barian couldn't keep his mind distracted enough, as it began to drift back to the events in Osmond's office.

" _Dammit, you'd think after everything I've been through I would have learned to just let things go for once?"_ Ryoga pondered with downcast eyes. He just couldn't shake the fact that someone from his world had also arrived in this place thirty years prior or that the person was a Duelist like him. It kept eating away at him and filling his mind with questions that he wanted answers too. At the same time, he would prefer that they just disappear. His only lead had swiftly become a dead end, figurative and literally, so he knew there was no point in dwelling on the matter, but he just couldn't help it.

It was an unfortunate trait of his to constantly worry and obsess over anything that bothered him. Whether it was something like Rio's medical condition, his vengeance towards IV, or when he learned about his past lives and connection to the Barian World. If even the slightest thing became a target of his attention then he just wouldn't let it go, and he hated it. That obsessiveness had only served to hurt him and those he cared about, and he didn't want a repeat of those times in this world. He wanted to start over and make a better life for himself here, but it wasn't so easy to change one's habits and personality, especially when they were riddled with confusion and pain.

"What's wrong?" Ryoga was broken from his thoughts by Tabitha's voice. She seemed to have stopped eating and was now staring at him directly.

"Huh, what do you mean?" Ryoga asked confused.

"You're worried," Tabitha answered without missing a beat.

Her words made Ryoga mentally curse. Was he showing his emotions on his sleeve again? Shit. The last thing he wanted was to make someone else worry about something needlessly stupid.

"It's nothing, just wondering where Louise is that's all."

"Liar."

The near instantaneous response caught the Duelist by surprise and made his gaze sharpen. "Excuse me?"

"You're lying," Tabitha said with a straight face.

"I don't know what you're-"

"Rune of Destruction."

Ryoga visibly flinched and then cursed himself immediately for doing so when Tabitha's brow ever so slightly furrowed. Great, he had given himself away. That's just what he needed. Still, how had she managed to guess so closely on what he was thinking?

"What about it?" Ryoga asked, hoping to understand exactly what the girl wanted.

Tabitha didn't reply right away. She most likely was trying to figure out the best way of asking, which Ryoga hoped she wouldn't be able to so they could drop the matter. Her eyes then softened, much to his surprise.

"You-"

"Still enjoying yourselves over here?" A familiar voice interrupted. Ryoga and Tabitha turned to see Siesta approach them with a tray of food. Ryoga felt relief fill him at the sudden distraction, though the same couldn't be said for Tabitha, who looked almost upset at the intrusion before turning back to her stoic self.

"If by enjoying you mean being bored out of my mind, then yes, I'm _definitely_ enjoying myself," Ryoga sarcastically replied.

"Well at least you're having more fun than me," Siesta said as she put the tray on their table and released a heavy sigh.

As a maid who was tasked with handing out food and drinks to the other guest, it sadly meant she had no time to enjoy the event herself like everyone else. And with it being so busy she was actually lucky that she got to find Ryoga in this place. She already congratulated him earlier for his success at capturing Fouquet, knowing full well he had a part in it despite what everyone else believed, and had spent some time chatting with him before having to go back to work. Since then she sought him out whenever she could just so she could take a break and enjoy some time with the boy, even if he was in the company of another.

"You doing alright? You're not being run ragged are you?" Ryoga asked. He had his own problems sure, but that didn't mean he wasn't concerned for his friend.

"I'll be fine Shark-san, don't worry. It's not like I haven't done this before after all," Siesta reassured before looking to the crowd. "Though I have to admit I'm a bit jealous of everyone here. To be all dressed up in fine clothes, dancing around on the floor and eating such fine food, it makes me wish I could experience it, if only for a little while."

Ryoga scoffed. "Oh no you don't, trust me. It's nothing but a bunch of idiots trying to show off and prove they've got the bigger pair of the group while getting any info on the competition. It's boring as hell and a waste of time and patience."

He knew from personal experience.

"Oh I'm well aware Shark-san. You wouldn't believe how much gossip I hear between the nobles here. Ah, no offense to you Miss Tabitha!" Siesta quickly assured to the noble. Tabitha simply nodded in understanding. "Still, I'd at least love to try on one of those dresses. They're just so beautiful and decorative. To wear something like that once in my life would be a dream come true. It'd make me feel like I was a princess waiting to be dashed away by a handsome prince."

Ryoga rolled his eyes. Leave it to a girl to have fantasies about that sort of stuff. Even Rio was like that once; heck she experienced it personally.

"I still say you should have dressed up though Shark-san. I think you would have looked quite nice in a tux," Siesta commented.

"I told you already that I don't do suits Siesta, period," Ryoga said with a grunt of annoyance. The idea of him putting on one of those monkey wardrobes was enough to make him gag.

Siesta pouted at his words. "Yes, but still you should-"

"Ah, Sir Shark!" Another voice drew the conversation away as the group turned to see Katie approach the table, a bright smile etched into her face. "There you are. I was beginning to wonder if you were even here."

"Oh I'm here alright, even if I'd rather not be," Ryoga muttered quietly before giving a smile to the first-year. "Still, it's good to see you again Katie. You look great."

It was true. Katie was wearing a golden ball gown with wrapped off-the-shoulder sleeves, a wide-hemmed skirt, and a multiple-layered white petticoat. Some of her hair was tied in a neat bun but the majority of it trailed down her neck into a flowing ponytail. Overall she looked very beautiful, and that was saying something considering Ryoga wasn't one to care for or notice such things.

"T-Thank you," Katie blushed and looked down embarrassed. "It's good to see you as well Sir Shark. And I see you're with familiar company again. Greetings as always Miss Tabitha," she bowed respectfully to Tabitha who nodded back in kind. She then noticed Siesta and gained a curious look. "Oh, I don't recognize you though. You are…?"

"Siesta your grace. Just a simple servant," Siesta quickly introduced herself and bowed.

"Siesta huh? That's a pretty name," Katie complimented. Looking the maid over her face gained a thoughtful look to it before her eyes widened in realization. "Wait a moment, I do recognize you. You're the maid who was there at the duel weren't you? The one who helped Miss Louise when she was knocked unconscious. Are you an associate of Sir Shark as well?"

"Eh? Oh, uh yes, your grace. I actually met Shark-san during his first night at the academy," Siesta told a bit surprised, having not expected to be noticed by anyone.

"So I was right! Tis a pleasure then Miss Siesta," Katie lightly bowed back, much to Siesta's shock. "My name is Katie, though you probably know about me from the incident with Guiche and Sir Shark. It's nice to meet another friend of his considering how lonely he always seems."

"Oy!" Ryoga called out annoyed.

"Ah, sorry Sir Shark! I wasn't trying to insinuate anything, honest," Katie quickly apologized before turning back to Siesta. "But still, thank you. Not just for being Sir Shark's friend but also for helping him and Miss Louise that day. I was unable to do so because of what happened with Guiche, but it was a relief to know that someone else was watching over them, so thank you for that."

Siesta couldn't believe what she was hearing. Was a noble actually thanking her? This wasn't like where she mistook Shark-san as a noble because she did know about the girl before her and her connection with the duel. This was a true noble, and yet here she was thanking Siesta for the minor things she had done to help Shark-san and Miss Valliere. It seemed almost like a dream, yet the smile sent her way from Ryoga told her that it wasn't. That alone made the moment all the more unbelievable, yet as she looked at the noble girl's smiling face Siesta could somehow feel the purity and truth in the words.

"Y-You're quite welcome Miss, but there's no need for thanks really. It was my duty as a servant of the school to aid those in need, and well…" Siesta looked away and blushed. "After all he's done for me I consider Shark-san to be a very precious person in my life."

Katie's smile just seemed to brighten. "I feel the same! If not for Sir Shark I would have probably ended up a tragic mess because of what happened. But he helped me too because he's a kind person. That's why I want to be Sir Shark's friend as well and help him any way I can, especially with all the trouble he seems to get involved in!"

"What was that?" Ryoga gave a small glare though Katie seemed unaffected by it.

"Well you do seem to get into a lot of trouble Sir Shark," Katie lifted her hand and began counting off with her fingers. "Dueling a noble, putting on that large performance at the festival, and then going off with Miss Louise to hunt Fouquet? You seem to be a magnet for that sort of attention don't you?" She teased with a knowing grin.

"Maybe it's his rough personality?" Siesta joined in with a giggle. "This is why he needs people like us to help balance him out."

"I suppose you're right."

The two girls laughed again while Ryoga just turned away with a huff, not in any way doing so to hide the red on his cheeks. But despite their jest he made sure to hold back the smile threatening to appear on his face. He honestly didn't know how these two would interact with each other considering their difference in status, yet once again Katie proved she wasn't like the other nobles and had treated Siesta with a kindness and equality that was unexpected of her. Even though they just met they were both talking to each other like normal girls without even realizing it, even if it was just to make fun of him.

It gave him some hope for this world. If a noble and commoner could get along in such a manner, then maybe he could find other ways of spreading that kind of connection elsewhere. Hopefully without the source of it being to mess around with him.

"By the way Sir Shark, Where's your outfit for the evening?" Katie asked curiously.

Ryoga groaned at the question and facepalmed while Siesta held back another laugh. "You've got to be kidding me," the former Barian muttered under his breath before looking back to address the bruenette. "Seriously, do I look like the kind of guy who would wear a suit?"

"Hmmm," Katie put a finger to her chin in thought before smiling. "Nope! I suppose not. But it's fine since you still look nice regardless," she giggled. A second later she realized what she said and blushed beat red. "Ah, n-not that you don't look nice all the time! You do! You always look good! Great even! Wait no that's not what I mean, ahh-"

"Relax I get it," Ryoga said waving his hand, deciding to save the poor girl from embarrassing herself further. "So, have you been enjoying the party so far?"

"Oh yes. I absolutely love it! I wish we had more events like this all the time. You know, aside from the whole thief incident," Katie said cheerfully. "Though why are you over here in the corner instead of enjoying the ball yourself Sir Shark?"

"Shark-san said it was because he doesn't enjoy parties or events like this, and that the only reason he came was because of Miss Valliere and the others," Siesta explained.

"Well that's no fun. You shouldn't just be sitting and doing nothing while a ball is going on. You should be enjoying yourselves and having fun," Katie stated firmly, making Ryoga roll his eyes. It was then the first-year realized something. "But wait, where is Miss Louise? I don't see her anywhere around here."

"Tch, I wish I knew myself. I swear that girl is such a pain to keep track of," Ryoga said exasperated. The chibi told him to go on ahead while she prepared herself, but that was over two hours ago and he had yet to hear her name be announced. He heard of being fashionably late but this was just ridiculous for him.

"I see," Katie nodded in understanding. An idea popped into her head as she gave a bright smile to the Duelist. "Well in that case Sir Shark, would you like to dance?"

Ryoga blinked. "What?"

"What?" Siesta also repeated, though she had no understanding as to why.

Katie just continued to smile and repeated herself. "I asked if you would like to dance? I realize nobody's doing it right now, but when they do would you honor me with one? I know it's usually the men who ask but I can take a guess that you're the kind of person who wouldn't do so."

"And you'd be right on that," Ryoga agreed. "But still, why do you want to dance?"

"I already said, didn't I? You should be having fun tonight instead of sitting around in a corner and being lonely," Katie's cheeks filled with a light blush. "Besides…I-I was kind of hoping to dance with you at least once tonight. I-If that's not a problem of course!"

Ryoga's brow rose at the stutter but he decided not to question it. "It's not a problem. I just didn't expect you to ask such a thing. Besides, I'm not exactly one for dancing."

"Could it be you don't know how to dance Shark-san?" Siesta pondered. Ryoga shook his head.

"No, I do. It's just not to my taste."

He was taught by Rio on how to dance in every single one of his lives, even the one as a Barian, which was weird when he thought about it. He knew the steps, the motions, and even some unique move sets by heart thanks to the countless hours and memories spent with his sister. It was a nice sibling bond the two had, but it didn't mean he really liked it. He would much rather be Dueling.

In fact, during his first human life and Barian one, he always tried to get Durbe to take his place whenever Rio was after him for more lessons. The Pegasus Knight didn't mind, and he always did seem more than eager to take Ryoga's place.

Ryoga was so into the memory that he almost jumped when Katie suddenly grabbed his hand. "E-Even so, it should still be fine if you're dancing with someone you know, right? You can even ask Miss Tabitha or Miss Siesta for a dance if you want."

"Eh!? M-Me and S-S-Shark-san?" Now it was Siesta's turn to stutter and turn beat red at the suggestion, her mind beginning to fantasize her and Ryoga dancing together. Tabitha simply titled her head at the notion before continuing to eat.

"Why not? After all you're a friend of Sir Shark's as well, so it's not a problem right?" Katie spoke as if there was no issue. She looked back to the boy in question, her gaze soft and cheeks rose tinted. "I just want you to have some fun tonight Sir Shark. After all you've done for us you deserve to enjoy yourself and not worry about the rest of the world. Don't you think so too?"

Ryoga was surprised, not having expected the real reason to be a thanks for his actions. He figured he already received enough of that from the maid and first-year. Yet he couldn't keep the smile off his face, knowing that it was just in their nature to want to help people like him. They were too much like Yuma.

"You guys…" Ryoga began only for the trumpets of the room to go off catching everyone's attention.

Another noble was entering the ballroom, though who could it be this late into the party?

"The daughter of Duke of La Valliere, Miss Louise Francoise Le Blanc de La Valliere, has arrived!"

Gasp and chatter filled the air as the pink-haired noble ascended from the steps and onto the party floor, the sight of which caught everybody, especially Ryoga, by surprise.

"That's _Louise?_ "

Louise was dressed in a beautiful white evening gown with pink frills that were cut on the top to reveal her neck and shoulders. A pair of matching colored gloves covered her hands while her strawberry-colored hair was tied up into a ponytail to show off her face. Combined together this appearance made the normally bratty and childish girl look like a sparkling gem of beauty.

Ryoga was completely baffled. Since when did Louise look so…elegant? That was the best word he could think of considering the usual appearance and attitude the pinkette had around him. And clearly he wasn't the only one thinking that as he witnessed other males trying to talk to her and ask her for a dance.

It actually annoyed the Duelist because not more than a day ago these same idiots were making fun of her and calling her a "Zero". Before this nobody would have even recognized her beauty, yet because of one change in appearance and successful action they suddenly couldn't stop themselves from falling over her like with Kirche. It showed how shallow and selfish those kinds of nobles were.

Yet Louise ignored them all, her eyes searching around for something. They stopped when they landed on Ryoga. The pink-haired noble seemed to almost brighten up at finding him before quickly hiding it and walking towards him in a calm manner befitting a high-class person. She stopped upon reaching the table and looked directly at the Duelist.

"I see you've kept yourself occupied," Louise commented as she glanced over to the other girls with a slight frown. This snapped Ryoga from his gaze.

"Yeah well at least I'm not the one who's late. Seriously, just how long does it take to get dressed up for a party and still arrive two hours after the parties started?" Ryoga replied sarcastically. Louise looked ready to respond back only to stop when Siesta, Katie, and Cat Shark suddenly swarmed her.

"Miss Valliere you look absolutely amazing this evening," Siesta complimented.

"Yeah. I can't believe that's really you. You're so pretty!" Katie said in agreement as she looked over Louise's appearance.

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark nodded. The pinkette blushed in embarrassment but quickly straightened herself and smirked.

"O-Of course. I'm a Valliere after all. It's only fitting I look my absolute best," Louise boasted. She then turned to Ryoga with annoyance. "Though it seems some people can't appreciate that fact."

"I never said that," Ryoga commented with a roll of his eyes.

"Well you didn't _not_ say it either," Louise huffed with crossed arms. Ryoga stared for a moment before giving a light smile.

"You look nice."

Louise stiffened as her entire face lit like a tomato. "I-Idiot! Don't say things like that after the fact…" she turned her head to hide her cheeks while Katie and Siesta looked at each other and giggled, knowing full well how in nature it was for Ryoga to do exactly that.

Suddenly the lights dimmed as a string of calm and soothing music began to play. All around the nobles began to group up and make their way to the main floor as they began slow dancing.

"Ah, looks like they're starting now!" Katie said excitedly. Looking over the group and seeing Louise's face, a new idea popped into her head as she turned to the pink-clad noble. "Why don't you and Sir Shark dance?"

"Huh!?" Both "master" and "familiar" said in unison.

"But didn't you want to dance first?" Ryoga asked confused.

"It's fine," Katie assured with a wave of her hand. "Like I said before, I just want you to have fun. I can always have my turn afterwards. Or if you prefer I can go after Miss Siesta and Miss Tabitha," she gestured to the two females, causing Siesta to look down embarrassed. "Besides, it's rude for a familiar to keep their master waiting, isn't it?"

The subtle wink Katie sent to Louise made the pair of pink eyes widen in recognition of what Katie was doing. A quiet thought of thanks was given as Louise looked to Ryoga, who returned the look after making sure Siesta and Tabitha were okay with the decision. A tense moment of silence passed before Louise offered her hand to the boy.

"I-I suppose I wouldn't mind dancing with you," Louise said, still trying to hold an air of pride about her as she did.

Ryoga let out a snort. "Well when you're _that_ enthusiastic about it how could I possibly refuse? Also, aren't the words you're looking for supposed to be, 'May I have this dance sir?'"

"You-" Louise prepared to snap only to freeze when Ryoga took her hand into his own.

"Would you honor me with a single dance, my Lady Louise?" Ryoga asked, his posture in that of a gentlemen's bow and his voice holding an air of grace and nobility to it that was unexpected by any of the girls. The only one not looking surprised was Cat Shark, the spirit just smiling brightly as if it expected this.

Louise's cheeks heated up at the action, her voice lost as she meekly nodded. Hands together the two made their way to the dance floor and found an open spot right in the middle. They turned and held each other in their arms, and after a moment of nervousness they slowly began swaying to the music.

"I didn't know you knew how to dance," Louise conversed as she observed her partner's technique. She was surprised to see him know what he was doing.

"Yeah well, there's a lot you don't know about me, like with the Tonkostu Ramen. You never got to taste it yourself did you?" Ryoga asked taking another step.

"No, and I expect you to make me a full bowl one day that is better than what everyone else got, understood?" Louise ordered, though there was a hint of playfulness in it. Something Ryoga picked up on as he smirked.

"Yeah yeah, I got it, Your Majesty."

The two teens chuckled as they continued to dance. A gentle silence fell as they kept their eyes locked onto the others, but after a while Louise broke her gaze away and looked to the floor.

"Ryoga…I want you to know I believe you," Louise said, her words confusing the Duelist. "About where you come from. About Duel Monsters. I believe it all now."

Ryoga blinked puzzled. "You mean you still didn't believe me before?"

"It's not that!" Louise exclaimed nervously, "It's just…I was always afraid. Even with everything that's happened I was still worried that somewhere deep down you were only trying to make fun of me. But when I saw the Rune I…I knew you were telling the truth," Louise looked back up to the oceanic orbs. "The Rune…it's a Duel Monsters card from your home isn't it? Where you come from?"

"Yeah, it is," Ryoga acknowledged seeing no need to hide it from her.

"I thought so," Louise muttered. "After seeing something like that how could I not accept everything you've told me as true? That's why you needed to talk to Osmond and Professor Colbert wasn't it?"

Ryoga nodded. An awkward air now hovered between them as they danced, neither being very comfortable with it. After a moment it was broken by Louise once more.

"Ryoga…do you…" Louise seemed almost hesitant to ask. "Do you ever think of going back home?"

Louise felt Ryoga flinch in her arms and watched as the Duelist's eyes gained a sad look to them.

"Every day."

Louise felt her heart ache and turned her gaze down. "I…I understand. It only makes sense you would."

Even as she said that Louise couldn't stop trembling. She struggled to keep a straight face and push down the pain in her chest, but it just kept building inside her and she didn't know why.

"But at the same time, I have to thank you."

"Eh?" Louise looked up baffled. "T-Thank me?"

Ryoga nodded. "Yeah. Before I arrived in this school I…well I had a lot of horrible things happen to me. I actually thought I was going to die with the idea of pain and suffering filling my heart, and that I was going to do so alone," Ryoga briefly closed his eyes at the memories before looking back at Louise. "But as cliché as it sounds, you saved me. You gave me another chance when I thought I had none. Sure I was angry and confused at first, but because of you I'm still alive, and I have a new reason to keep living again."

"A new reason?" Louise repeated.

"That's right. That's why I wanted to thank you. Even with everything that's happened none of this would have been possible if not for you," Ryoga's lips curled into a very warm smile. "I'll always be grateful for what you've done for me, Louise."

Louise's cheeks burned red again and she quickly buried her head in Ryoga's chest to hide her face. "I-Idiot. Don't say such things out loud like that."

Despite her words the pinkette had a happy smile. The feeling in her chest continued to grow, but it wasn't painful like before. It was warm, kind, gentle. She had no idea what it was, but she…liked it.

She liked it a lot.

"I want to thank you as well Ryoga," Louise spoke as she pulled back up. "For everything you've done for me. Standing up against Guiche, saving me from Fouquet, and staying with me all this time even without the contract. You didn't have to do any of those things, but you did so anyways even after all the problems I put you through."

"It was a real pain in the ass you know," Ryoga said exaggerated.

"Hey!"

The former Barian chuckled making Louise pout.

"Even so, it's to be expected," Ryoga gave his signature grin. "After all, we're friends aren't we?"

Louise appeared stunned by the words, almost as if never believing she would hear them. Her eyes lightly watered as she gave a beautiful smile and nodded, laying her head back on Ryoga's chest as "master" and "familiar" danced under the ballroom light.

* * *

The next day Ryoga found himself standing in Osmond's office once again. The headmaster sent Colbert to fetch him during lunch, with the message that the old man had retrieved the Black Hole card during the ball and replaced it with a fake look alike, keeping the true "Rune" hidden until the Duelist arrived.

"Here it is boy. I truly hope you understand what is being put on your shoulders by me doing this," Osmond said as he handed the card to Ryoga. The water user looked over the card for a moment, feeling the power within it before giving a firm nod.

"I do," Ryoga said as he pulled out his deck and placed the card inside. "I promise, I won't let it fall into the wrong hands and will take responsibility for it."

"I figured you'd say that. But it's always nice to be sure," Osmond commented with a smile. "Still, that wasn't the only reason I called you up here today. I actually have some news regarding your other request."

Ryoga gained a curious look at the statement. Other request? Before he could ask a knock at the door drew his attention.

"Ah, she's here. Come on in," Osmond called out.

The door opened up and Ryoga turned to see who it was. Much to his shock he was greeted with a familiar face. "Tabitha?"

"Excuse me," the quiet girl spoke as she walked inside and stood beside Ryoga, pausing briefly to give a slight bow to Osmond. "Sorry I'm late."

"It's quite alright Miss Tabitha. You actually came at the perfect time. I was just about to tell Ryoga about you," Osmond reassured.

"Tell me what exactly?" Ryoga asked, now growing suspicious.

"Why about your new tutor of course."

Ryoga's eyes widened. "What?"

"Your tutor boy. Don't tell me you forgot," Osmond said with an almost teasing tone. Reaching into his desk he pulled out some papers, one's Ryoga recognized from when they made the contract with each other. "It wasn't exactly easy to find someone to fill your request you know. Not being a professor and someone you, and I quote, 'Wouldn't turn into shark food' makes it rather difficult to pick out considering your opinion of the nobles here. And with everything going on with the exhibition and then Fouquet, I was having a hard time actually finding anyone," Osmond placed the papers down and rubbed his beard as he glanced over to Tabitha. "But then Miss Tabitha came to me yesterday not long after you left my office and told me she wanted the position. I was quite surprised myself, but seeing as you two already know one another as well as her being one of the smartest students we have at the school, I figured this would be the perfect choice. Don't you agree?"

Ryoga had no words. He just looked to the bespectacled girl surprised. Noticing his glance Tabitha turned to directly face him with her ever-stoic face and bowed.

"I look forward to working with you, Kamishiro Ryoga."

* * *

 **What's this? An earlier update? Less than two months? Is it the end of the world!?  
**

 **Nah nothing like that. This chapter was just a lot easier to come up with and write. Plus I had a lot of spare time during the past few weeks so I got to work on it a lot more. Can't promise it'll be as fast for the next chapter, but hey at least you get this. And it is NOT an April Fools prank! Just like with the new season of My Hero Academia (which I just got into) and Attack on Titan!. God it'll be great to watch.**

 **In any case yeah, hope you guys enjoy this chapter as well despite it being a little shorter and plot filled. After the past few action filled ones from the Fouquet Arc things will slow down a little. Least till the next arc. But I still hope you guys had fun with it.**

 **Especially with the fact that Ryoga now has BLACK HOLE in his deck. What will happen from this? Were you surprised that Ryoga made such a request and that I allow it? How will having the "Rune of Destruction" change things when it's in the possession of someone like the former Barian king? Well you guys will find out so long as you keep reading!**

 **And don't forget that I'm always open to ideas and suggestions from you guys. I mean if not for ZGFM-X31A Providence and his suggestion of Cat Shark, than we wouldn't have such an amazing mascot in this story that has opened up a lot of new ideas and possibilities. I really like you guys helping out cause it truly feels like I can then flesh out a new world.**

 **So don't be afraid and share your thoughts and ideas!**

 **In any case, REVIEW TIME! And we also have 2 special reviews from a guest who reviewed past chapters! I'll be sure to credit this person after the ones for this chapter! So first the Chapter 20 Reviews!**

 **duskrider: Thanks so much for the praise. And yeah, when I debated on what card to use for the Rune I was caught on a lot of different choices. I needed something that could deliver a lot of power and destroy the golems, but could also be a card that was uncommon from the Zexal era so it would be something that surprises Ryoga. Then one day I saw Dark Hole, and it all clicked.**

 **A card that destroys all monsters on the field, that when brought into the real world would be terrifying and do a lot of damage. It made perfect sense. Especially since like you said, it was once banned and not even allowed. So that should tell you guys something about the man who came before Ryoga. As for the question of if more cards in this world... *grins* ...that would spoil.**

 **Omega Porunga: Thank you dude. Glad you enjoyed the Rune of Destruction. I also liked Black Ray and wish it was used more, so trust that he'll appear more.**

 **ivan0061509: Very much appreciated man. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **The Flame of Judgment: Haha, yeah I'm back. And look, I got this chapter out much sooner! Of course I can't promise same for the next, but I'll do my best! *thumbs up*As for White Hole, hahah, an interesting idea. But White Hole is designed to counter Black Hole, so not sure it'd work that way haha. But it is at least a fun idea I can think of, so thanks!**

 **Frank Horrigan: Captain in Rosario world huh...hmmm, an interesting concept to be certain. I would like to see that as well.**

 **Doobie Wah: Trust me when I say I want too. I get the feeling once I get a true job and am able to truly balance my life out, that I'll be able to do so. Can't promise when, but I assure you I'll at least write some concepts and rough drafts down till then! In the meantime hope you can endure just this one for now!**

 **XenonKirito: Thank you so much! Hope you liked this chapter as well!**

 **Alright, and now for the very special reviewer for reviewing two of my previous chapters!**

 **jordanlink7856: Thank you so much for taking the time to read my story. I know that because my story is Familiar of Zero and ZEXAL that a lot of people won't initially look at it, or even give it a chance. So the fact you did so and were happy with what you read makes me happier than you can imagine. I especially love that you took the time to comment on my previous chapters as well. It makes me so happy to know someone's thoughts on each section so I can learn how they felt about them and give feedback on the chapter. I truly hope I'll live up to the expectations of everyone and write a story everybody can love *bows politely***

 **So there you have it guys! Latest chapter done, and even more exciting, 99 followers! 1 more and I'll have 100 haha! I really wonder who it'll be! Like I said the next one probably won't be here as fast, but I'll do my best! What I may lack in speed I try to make up for with quality! Wish me luck!**

 **Oh, and while I don't have any special chapter at the end this time, I will say this for some people to speculate and think on!**

 **Because I am basing on anime plot for now, the next chapter will focus on some charming fairies *grins***

 **Hope you look forward too it! Say Goodnight Cat Shark!**

 **"Mrrow mrrow!" *Cat Shark waves goodbye to you all happily***

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	21. Of Sisters and Maids

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works.

* * *

Tristain Academy of Magic's library was a place of knowledge and silence for those who sought it. Located in the upper levels of the same tower as the dining hall, the library was quite large, taking up an entire section of the tower all for itself. Tables and chairs were scattered all about the area while dozens of bookshelves were lined against the walls, each being so tall that large columns of stairs were needed just to reach the upper section of books.

And boy were there books. Taking up every available space in the shelves were thousands of books and tomes, each one gathered from different parts of Halkeginia and ranging in age from the newest releases to text dating hundreds of years back. The place was so crammed with material and finite space that you wouldn't think it to be a comfortable location for anybody to find themselves in. Yet everyday students and teachers alike came to visit the library to either study material, seek out new information, or to simply read in peace.

In the category of Kamishiro Ryoga, being taught how to read the runic language of this world by his new tutor was his reason for occupying such a place.

"Next one," Tabitha softly ordered.

"Wunjo, gyfu. It means joy and gift," Ryoga translated from the runes in front of him.

"Next one," Tabitha responded almost instantly.

"Sowilo and daeg. The sun and day, right?"

"Next one."

"Algiz, fehu, and jeran. That means elk, wealth, and…good crop?"

"Harvest."

"Close enough."

"Next one."

If anyone were to walk in on the scene they would have stumbled across the sight of Ryoga and Tabitha sitting at one of the larger tables of the library surrounded by a mountain of open books and tomes. Most of which dealing with teaching the local language or how to translate and write runic scriptures, with a few history books scattered in the pile as well. If one were to look underneath the table, they would have spotted the curled-up form of Cat Shark sleeping peacefully at the duo's feet while Derflinger lay sheathed against one of the table legs.

This had become the daily occurrence between the two ever since Tabitha took the job of becoming Ryoga's tutor. While initially suspicions of the girl's motives Ryoga quickly found himself at ease with the arrangement. Having already spent some time around each other he knew that she was a lot smarter than most of the other students and was the type to take a job seriously, as shown through her actions during the capture of Fouquet. It helped that the two of them got along well enough due to their nature as social outcast and shared enjoyment of peace and quiet where it could be found. Especially when away from a pair of pink and red-haired rivals.

Speaking of whom, while Louise was still disappointed that Ryoga picked someone else over her for teaching him, she agreed that if anybody could be trusted to help him learn, Tabitha would be the best choice without a doubt. That she would even admit such spoke highly of her opinion on the quiet noble. Since then Ryoga and Tabitha began frequently meeting in the library after classes during weekdays and in the early mornings on weekends, much like today. While the initial lessons were struggling for the former Barian, after several sessions he began to grasp the new material and was now able to understand the basics of this world's dialect.

"Last one," Tabitha instructed pointing to the final page.

"Heh, easy. Lagu and isa. Means ocean and ice," Ryoga answered with a knowing grin. Those were in his blood after all.

"Better. Fast learner," Tabitha approved.

"What can I say? I have a good teacher," Ryoga complimented as he closed the book and put it to the side with the others.

"Still impressive."

"Thanks I guess. So what's next on the list?" Ryoga asked looking over the mountain of paper around them. There was still a crap ton to learn, and while it was a bit of a pain he could at least tolerate it thanks to Tabitha's calm presence and teaching methods.

"Duel Monsters."

Ryoga stiffened at the words, though only for a moment before he sighed exasperatedly. "Again?" He asked turning to face his teacher. Her expression gave away nothing as she answered with a single nod, earning yet another sigh. "Sheesh, you can be as bad as Louise sometimes you know?"

Tabitha didn't respond to the jest and merely watched as Ryoga pulled out his deck and laid it on the table. While she agreed to help tutor him she also had a price for her services. A price that, after much debate between the headmaster and Duelist, was eventually accepted by both parties.

In exchange for her lessons, Ryoga would in turn tell her all about the powers he used against Fouquet's golems. Sounded easy enough, but Tabitha didn't want just base explanations. She wanted full blown breakdowns of how Ryoga could do what he did.

His summoning of multiple familiars, his armguard that acted like a wand, even why the Rune of Destruction was the same as the cards he carried on him. She wanted to learn exactly how they worked and the methods behind how they were even possible.

In other words, she wanted to learn about Duel Monsters.

In truth Ryoga wasn't too surprised by the request as he was already expecting something like this to happen ever since their return to the school. Tabitha and Kirche both had front row seats to his power after all, especially when he summoned Aero Shark and Black Ray. Then of course there was his whole use of the "Rune of Destruction" which they clearly saw was the same kind of card as the ones he constantly carried. All this together meant it was simply a matter of time before the two females sought him out for answers, and while it was a bother to allow more people to know what he could do, he also knew that the situation had drastically changed.

Fouquet forced him to use his powers twice now in the open, meaning she now possessed information on his capabilities and strengths. While the thief may be locked away in a dungeon she couldn't exactly be silenced about what she saw. Given the right motivation anybody would talk, and if someone came to her with such an offer she could end up revealing everything she knew about him. If that information was given to the wrong kind of person, it could spell all kinds of trouble for the former king.

Sure, Ryoga could have prevented such a threat by killing her back then, and Kami knows it would have probably saved him a lot of trouble, but he wasn't that kind of person anymore. He had enough blood on his hands already and would rather avoid adding anymore. But that wasn't the only problem. This entire incident not only proved his previous thoughts about having to use his more powerful cards and abilities just to fight someone like Fouquet, but that there would be no way of hiding it from anyone watching when he did. Meaning if more events such as this one continued to pop up, eventually his powers would be discovered and known to everyone. As it was now he was only buying time, something even Osmond commented on.

Which led back to the topic of what to do regarding Tabitha and Kirche. The only reason they probably hadn't interrogated him immediately after Fouquet's capture was because of how tense everybody was after she was knocked out. But even with the desire for information about the Rune clouding his judgment, in the back of his mind Ryoga was fully aware that he would have to do something regarding the girls. If he didn't there was a chance that they, more specifically Kirche, would spread word about what he did without realizing the consequences of doing so.

Knowing this and knowing he couldn't keep it secret forever, the water user reluctantly decided that when the time came for answers he would tell them all he could. Nothing regarding his world obviously, but they would be told the same information that was given to Louise. And just like her, he would also ask them to remain silence on what they learned until he publicly revealed himself.

Of course, that was before Tabitha's sudden surprise at becoming his tutor and using the sessions as a way to gain that information. The bluenette could be quite proactive when she wanted to be. Funny since Ryoga fully expected Kirche to be the first one to corner him for the info. Probably through the same seduction methods she always used to try and get his attention.

Strangely enough the Germanian beauty had been quite docile ever since the end of the ball. She hadn't tried to confront Ryoga about what happened nor did she tell anyone about what she saw, which normally he would be grateful for, but even he could see how odd Kirche was being. She wasn't one to shy away from getting what she wanted, as made clear by her constant attempts at wooing the Duelist, yet for some reason it seemed like she was putting distance between herself and him. Heck, her usual four to five times attempts of daily flirting had been reduced to only twice per day now. An action that would have otherwise made Ryoga happier, but now only served to raise his suspicions about what she was up too. For now though he figured it would be best not to worry about it and simply wait for Kirche to make her move, even if said move involved the seductress turning such information to her advantage.

That just left Tabitha to deal with, which thanks to the current arrangement was far easier to handle. When Ryoga explained the concept of Duel Monsters and how it worked in his home the bespectacled girl took the information rather well. At least visibly. One look at her eyes told Ryoga that she was just as amazed and awed as Louise had been. She was simply much better at hiding it behind her tranquil poker face.

Despite the initial surprise, Tabitha was certainly intrigued by the concept of the card game, going so far as to have full open discussions with Ryoga about it, which were more her asking questions and him answering. In the end she agreed to keep silent on the subject so long as he kept his end of the bargain and continued teaching her everything about the cards, which she made sure to keep track of in a small notebook.

"So the difference between setting a Instant Magic Card and a Normal Magic Card is that an Instant Magic is treated the same as a Trap Card when set. It can't be flipped up the turn it's set, where as a Normal Magic can be. Understand?" Ryoga explained while pointing to the two types of cards laid on the table. Tabitha nodded as she wrote the information down.

"Names?" She asked.

"The normal one is Aqua Jet. It grants a thousand attack points to any WATER attribute monster until the end of the turn. That's water written in all capitals by the way. The Instant Magic meanwhile is…"

Ryoga paused as he looked at the second card, his expression turning sorrowful. A notion Tabitha noticed.

"Ryoga?"

"Huh? Oh sorry," Ryoga snapped from his state quickly apologizing. "It's called Absolute Zero. It turns the attack of any Xyz Monster without Overlay Units to zero."

Tabitha stared for a moment, a hint of emotion flickering in her eyes before she wrote down the information. Her attention off him, Ryoga looked back to the card with a frown before sliding it away. It wouldn't do him any good to think on _that_ particular subject right now. Not when he was trying to teach and not so soon after the Black Hole scenario.

"So, do you think you can understand some of the kanji yet?" Ryoga asked. Alongside the card game lessons the bespectacled girl also wanted to understand the language used for the card's text, which Ryoga didn't have an issue teaching seeing as she was doing the same for this world's language. Tabitha seemed to think for a moment before nodding. "Alright, let's test how much you've got down then," Ryoga reached into his deck and pulled out another card before handing it to Tabitha. "Translate what you can from this card."

Tabitha took a minute to look over the card's scripture before answering. "Magic Card…Surfacing…Select one WATER monster in your Graveyard…and Special Summon it in…face-down Defense Mode," she finished and looked up for acknowledgement.

"Close, but you made a couple of errors," Ryoga moved closer to point at the card's kanji. "The name is actually Surface, not Surfacing, though they're easily interchangeable. This kanji over here means target, not select. And this one means face- _up_ , not down. While Dueling you have to be aware of this stuff since even the slightest difference in text can cause huge changes in terms of effects. Still that wasn't half-bad, especially for someone learning from a bunch of cards."

Tabitha nodded in understanding, but despite her stoic appearance Ryoga noticed the slightest furrowing of her brow. He made sure to hold back a smirk because of it.

Even if she didn't show it the girl was obviously frustrated by the stuff she missed. Probably because she didn't think it'd be that difficult for her to learn a new language or simply because of her noble pride. Either way it was a nice reminder that even with her quiet personality she was still a regular person like everyone else. Well as regular as one could be in a world of magic.

"Here, let's go over some more kanji to help you out," Ryoga suggested. He pulled out another card and laid it out for Tabitha to see. "To begin with here we have-"

"There you are Ryoga! I've been looking everywhere for you!" The familiar yell of Louise suddenly interrupted as the noble girl appeared from around the corner. Her voice had the unfortunate effect of waking up Cat Shark, making the sleeping Xyz Monster's head and ears shot up and hit the bottom of the table, causing several books to topple over and Derflinger to fall to the side.

"Gah! Hey what gives? Some swords are trying to get their beauty rest here!" Derf complained from being woken up.

"Mrrow mrrow," Cat Shark agreed rubbing its' head and crawling from out beneath the table. Ryoga ignored the duo's cries and kept his attention on the approaching pinkette.

"Great, that's just what I needed today," the water user muttered under his breath. "Hey Louise keep it down will you. This is a library remember?" He motioned to the other occupants in the area, all of whom were now staring.

"That's not important right now! Look!" Louise pulled out what appeared to be a letter and held it out to Ryoga. He stared at the paper for a moment, debating if he should even bother trying to read it. A quick glance and nod from Tabitha decided his answer.

Giving a quiet grunt Ryoga grabbed the letter and began looking it over. "Let's see…must travel…great speed, no that's haste. To a fortress? No wait, that means castle. And that rune is…summons?" He paused and looked up to Louise confused. "Summons?"

"That's right! It's a message from the Royal Palace. Princess Henrietta has summoned us to the meet with her right away!" Louise explained excitedly.

"The palace? What for?" Ryoga asked hoping to get some insight. Cat Shark meanwhile floated above his shoulder to also look at the letter.

"Reward," Tabitha answered.

"Exactly! It's the reward I'm supposed to receive for capturing Fouquet. The princess is going to be the one to give it to me personally!" Louise happily exclaimed. "Which is why we need to go now! I will not keep the princess waiting or allow us to be late, do you understood?"

"Alright, alright I get it. Just settle down," Ryoga said knowing there'd be no arguing with her like this. Plus he was kind of interested as well as to the type of reward Louise would get, especially if it was coming directly from Henrietta. "Sorry to cut our lesson short Tabitha. Looks like we'll have to continue this another day."

"Keep practicing," Tabitha reminded.

"I will. And you make sure to do the same."

"Ryoga!" Louise called out impatiently.

"I'm coming already. Sheesh, someone's impatient," Ryoga muttered as he gathered his cards and Derf and followed Louise out of the room with Cat Shark.

* * *

A swift departure from the school and one short trip later, Ryoga and Louise found themselves back in the capital city of Tristania as they made their way to the palace. It only took a single showing of the letter and Henrietta's signature for the guardsmen to allow them through the gates. Once inside a servant arrived to escort them to the throne room where Henrietta was waiting.

As they walked through the grand halls Ryoga looked around and felt a wave of nostalgia. The structure of this place reminded him a lot of his own palace from when he was king, and was nearly just as large. The décor was clearly fit for high-class royalty, and the large rooms and white coloring all around were near identical to the ones his palace had. It made him a bit happy since he hadn't seen such finesse in architecture since his first life. Yet those memories also served as a reminder of what he tried to ignore earlier, and so he quickly stopped himself from getting too lost in the feeling.

Eventually the group arrived at the throne room, which was even larger than the other rooms they had seen, though that was to be expected. A large red carpet trailed from the main doorway to the small throne at the back, where Henrietta sat with a small scepter in hand. Upon spotting them the princess smiled and motioned them forward.

"I'm glad to see you received my message. It is good to see you again Louise Francoise. And of course, you as well Ryoga," Henrietta happily greeted the two.

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark called out looking upset at being ignored.

"Of course, it's always a pleasure to see you as well Sir Cat Shark," Henrietta said playfully.

"Mrrow," Cat Shark nodded smiling.

"What, no greeting for me? I'm hurt!" Derflinger joked only to be slammed back into its' sheath by Ryoga. This was neither the time or place to deal with the chatterbox of a weapon.

"It is an honor Princess," Louise said shutting her eyes and bowing in respect. Ryoga stood beside her while Cat Shark floated behind the two.

"The honor is mine Louise. After all, the success of you capturing Fouquet has become quite the tale around the kingdom. It is only right to congratulate you on your success and heroism," Henrietta said with a gentle smile.

"Princess," Louise looked up with her own smile and eyes lit up from the praise.

"How is Fouquet doing by the way? She's not giving you any trouble is she?" Ryoga asked hoping to learn if the thief had revealed anything regarding his powers.

"Thankfully no. She is currently bedridden due to the injury that was inflicted upon her, and even if she were fully healed she is powerless without her wand," Henrietta explained, making Ryoga sigh quietly in relief. She turned her attention on the purple-clad boy. "I was told you were the one who inflicted that wound upon her Ryoga, is this true?"

"Yeah, that's right," the Duelist replied, not seeing any reason to deny it. His response made Louise cringe as the memory of Ryoga's swift movement and brutal strike on Fouquet came racing back. How he could do such a thing without any hesitation was beyond her. She could still recall how shaken she was seeing all the blood. It still gave her nightmares.

"I see," Henrietta looked saddened by the news. "It pains me to know such violence had to be used, but I suppose it was inevitable given Fouquet's actions," she bowed her head to Ryoga. "I'm sorry such a terrible burden fell upon you."

"Don't be," Ryoga said sternly. "I don't regret what I did. Fouquet had to be stopped, and if it had come down to it I would have done whatever was needed to keep Louise and everyone else safe, regardless of the price."

It wasn't like he hadn't done worse in the past already, so there was no need for the guilty feelings trip. Kami knows he'd been through that enough times.

"I suppose your right. And despite what happened I am thankful for you protecting Louise," Henrietta looked up and over to her childhood friend. "When I heard you volunteered to chase Fouquet I became most worried. That woman was causing not only the nobility trouble but also the palace for some time. Her actions had everybody here up in arms, and placed a heavy burden on the people of this kingdom that was threatening to endanger innocent lives. The thought of you going after her brought great fear to my heart."

"I'm sorry to have burdened your thoughts Princess," Louise apologized.

"Never. You never need apologize for that Louise," Henrietta said warmly. "In the end, thanks to both of your efforts, the burden that has plagued us has been lifted and everything has returned to normal. And so it is only fitting that I reward your actions," Henrietta lifted her scepter up and pointed it to Louise, who quickly realized what was about to happen and took to a knee. "Louise Francoise Le Blanc de La Valliere, in service for your actions and successful capture of Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt, you are herby given the rank of Chevalier, as well as all the rights and privileges that come with it. May you carry this title with honor and respect wherever you go," Henrietta proclaimed. Upon finishing she stood from her throne and walked towards the two, stopping in front of them and giving her friend a proud smile. "Congratulations, Louise Francoise."

"I really am unworthy of such an honorary title as Chevalier," Louise said modestly while standing back up.

Ryoga could have easily agreed with her statement but decided to let it slide. Despite her faults Louise continued to show that her heart was in the right place. She even had the guts to jump off a flying dragon just to deliver the Black Hole card and give him a fighting chance.

Was it idiotic? Yes. Was she still naive and reckless? Oh absolutely. And while he personally thought that Chevalier was a bit much of a reward for his "master" considering what she had actually done during the mission, along with the fact that it was really him that did most of the work, it wouldn't be bad to let her have some praise every once in a while.

" _It's still hilarious how everyone is trying to beat you for the title of 'Youngest Knight' Durbe,"_ Ryoga thought with a light chuckle.

"You achieved a feat that was worth deserving of the title. Feel proud of yourself," Henrietta praised, making Louise turn red at the kind words. "And Ryoga, while I cannot officially reward you due to your status as a familiar, I can still thank you for taking care of my dear friend. I trust you will continue to do so in the future," she said as she held out her left hand to Ryoga, an action that made him raise an eyebrow curiously while Louise gasped in shock.

"You shouldn't Princess! To offer your hand to such a lowly familiar is too much for someone like you" Louise protested. Ryoga felt a slight twitch in his eye at the "lowly familiar" line.

"To protect you is equal to swearing loyalty to me. There must be something in return for such an oath of loyalty," Henrietta reasoned.

"But-"

"Who said anything about swearing loyalty?"

Ryoga watched the eyes of both females widened and turn to him, a mixture of surprise and confusion showing. Henrietta especially so. An expected reaction given his rather blunt statement. He wasn't naive as to not know what the royal's gesture was meant for and what she wanted from him. He also knew what it would mean for him to refuse.

Which meant the next reaction would be…

"W-W-What do you think you're saying!?" Louise shouted.

Right on cue.

"What does it sound like I'm saying?" Ryoga asked nonchalantly.

"Don't play games! Are you saying you refuse to serve the Princess!?" Louise's voice trembled with a growing fury.

"I'm saying I didn't save _you_ out of loyalty for _her_ ," Ryoga affirmed. "I said it before remember? That my respect is earned and not given. Well the same goes for my loyalty," he glanced down to the Barian pendant, the face of Yuma and his other friends flashing through his mind. "Loyalty isn't something you just give away to someone. It's supposed to mean that you trust that person completely. That you trust them with your life and would follow them into death itself, and that they would do the same for you. It's a bond that no matter what you do or how much pain you've caused, you will always stand by that person's side and help them through whatever ails them, even if that means calling them out on when they're wrong," he looked back to Henrietta with a narrowed gaze. "Only a handful of people have managed to earn my loyalty. So why would I ever give it away to someone I don't even know or trust? Especially when it's a ruler who will always have to put her kingdom first before any of those precious to her?"

A very visible and pained expression flashed across Henrietta's face. Her head lowered and her eyes grew sorrowful as the truth behind Ryoga's words struck her hard. Louise saw the princess's reaction and immediately grew worried, followed swiftly by anger as she glared at the Duelist.

"H-H-How dare you talk to the princess like that! Apologize right now!" Louise demanded.

"I have nothing to apologize for," Ryoga stated with conviction.

"I said apologize Ryoga!"

"No."

Louise shook furiously and her fist tightly closed as she moved to strike Ryoga, only to be stopped when Henrietta rested a hand on her shoulder.

"I-It's alright Louise. I don't take offense to his actions," Henrietta said with a strained smile.

"But Princess!" Louise protested, but Henrietta just shook her head.

"It's fine. Everyone is entitled to their opinions after all," the royal reassured, her fingers tightening slightly and her eyes practically begging to get the message across. Louise hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded and settled down. Henrietta gave a relieved sigh and let go of her grip as she collected herself. "Besides, I didn't just invite you here simply to reward you. I actually have a favor to ask the both of you."

"Please go ahead and ask anything of us! If you tell us to die I will gladly throw myself out the window and take this stupid jerk with me!" Louise declared.

"Try it and I'll have you play with Big Jaws," Ryoga countered, making Louise glare daggers at him.

"I would like the two of you to live in the city for a while," Henrietta said.

"The city?" Louise repeated.

Henrietta nodded as a worried look appeared over her. "Lately I've been hearing rumors of nobles that have been oppressing the commoners. They've been abusing their power and treating the people without dignity or respect. It has even gotten so bad that a few of the townsfolk were placed in intensive care because of it."

Louise looked shocked by the news while Ryoga's eyes dangerously narrowed. First Guiche, then Mott, and now this? Seemed the nobility were once again doing whatever they wanted just because they thought they were better than everyone else. And just like with Siesta, innocent people were getting caught in the cross because of it.

He was getting real tired of this bullshit.

"Who's doing it? How long has it been going on?" Ryoga inquired, his voice laced thick with anger.

"I don't know," Henrietta shook her head. "I myself only heard the rumors not long ago, but whenever I asked those in the city they all claimed nothing like that ever happened."

"And you believed it?" Ryoga growled. "You know there is a thing out there called blackmail. Or perhaps you know of bribery? Threats, extortion, I could go on but I think the picture is still fucking clear as day, don't you?"

"Ryoga enough!" Louise ordered.

"No, he's right Louise," Henrietta admitted guiltily. "I can't deny that I was fooled. Everybody I spoke too seemed so happy and satisfied with their lives, saying such a thing was impossible and that the nobles were good role models for them. I had no reason to doubt their words," Henrietta met Ryoga's glare with a strong look of her own. "But after your incident with Count Mott and the words you said to me back at the academy, I realized I could no longer just believe everything put in front of me, especially with the rumors being this bad. I will not stand by while nobles are misusing their rights and privileges and hurting innocent people. That is why I called you both today, so I could ask for your help in this matter."

Ryoga was admittedly impressed. It seemed the princess had taken his words seriously after all. She actually pushed further than before to discover the truth and make a real effort to stop what was happening. She still had a long way to go and was clearly naïve in some aspects, but at least it was a start and definitely a lot better than what she did with Mott.

"And what exactly would you have us do Princess?" Louise asked.

Henrietta reached into her pocket and pulled out a scroll of paper. "This is a warrant issued by the palace with my approval. Since I cannot get answers directly and my guards would most likely receive the same, I would like you both to investigate what is going on in the town and find if there is any evidence or truth to the rumors," she handed to scroll to Louise. "If you manage to find the people responsible, or at least discover their names, I want them brought before me so that justice can be dispensed for their heinous crimes."

"Silence one and you can silence the rest," Ryoga commented with understanding. Even if they didn't find everybody responsible, Henrietta only needed one solid lead to take real action. It wouldn't stop everyone involved but it would definitely make them more hesitant to act openly.

"Indeed. I have even managed to pin several of the rumors around one particular area of the city. Starting there would be your best bet," Henrietta suggested.

"I understand Princess!" Louise declared proud and confidently. "I swear on my new title that I'll get this job done as if my very life depended on it!"

"I doubt it'll actually come to that, but count me in too," Ryoga said in agreement, Cat Shark giving a winning salute beside him. Any doubts over accepting this request were long dashed from the former Barian's mind. He would never let what almost happened to Siesta happen to anyone else.

Henrietta smiled. "Thank you, both of you. I truly appreciate your help in this matter. May Brimir bless you with his fortune."

* * *

After receiving a bag of gold coins from Henrietta to help with their assignment, Ryoga, Louise, and Cat Shark made their way into the city and towards the area where the rumors appeared most. Yet before they could begin Ryoga dragged Louise into the nearest clothing store to deal with a certain "issue". After an hour or so they stepped out in brand new attire, though only one seemed displeased with it.

"This is so dull," Louise muttered looking over her new outfit. Her school uniform was now replaced with a simple brown one-piece dress. On her feet were a pair of crude wooden shoes, while adorning her head was a brown flat cap hat.

"It can't be helped. Our clothes would have stood out too much. We need to look the part of commoners if we're going to find our culprits," Ryoga said while packing their regular clothes in a leather bag. He now wore a simple white t-shirt with an open brown vest over it and dark brown pants. Gray leather shoes covered his feet while on his head he wore a similar cap to the one Louise had. Derflinger still hung sheathed at his side but his Barian Pendant was now hidden beneath his shirt so as to not stand out.

Overall the two now looked like a pair of regular commoners. Something Louise clearly didn't like as she huffed and walked down the streets with Ryoga and Cat Shark following.

"Couldn't we have at least gotten something more decent? Maybe something less tacky?" Louise complained pulling on her dress.

"No. Now stop whining about it. We have a job to do remember?" Ryoga said trying to focus on the mission at hand.

"Of course," Louise nodded. She could deal with looking like this if it meant helping the princess. "First we'll need a new horse to get around town with."

"A horse?" Ryoga said confused, only to then realize what she was implying. "Wait a second-"

"This way! Hurry!" Louise said as she rushed ahead of the Duelist.

"Oy, Louise!" Ryoga yelled as he and Cat Shark chased after her. He had a feeling he knew where this was going.

* * *

He was proven right when they arrived at the town stables and Louise tried to buy a horse, only to discover that a single horse would cost them their entire loan money. And that wasn't including the harness. After recovering from the initial shock Louise then tried to get them a room at a hotel to stay in, but learned that a single night was just as expensive. Needless to say the pinkette was rather dishearten by the facts while Ryoga could only shake his head.

"You're impossible sometimes you know that?"

"Be quiet," Louise mumbled.

"Seriously, what did you expect to happen?" Ryoga continued speaking. "We were given a loan for a reason Louise. To _not_ stand out like a pair of nobles. Buying a horse and spending the night in one of the most expensive hotels in the kingdom isn't something an everyday person can do."

"I know that!" Louise exclaimed irritated.

"Your actions seem to disagree."

Ryoga knew Louise was spoiled due to her noble lifestyle, but to not even be aware of such basic knowledge was incomprehensible. Already he could see a major flaw with this mission. That while Louise could try and look like a commoner, she could not act or think like one at all.

Louise didn't seem fond of the former Barian's comment and snapped to him angrily. "Fine then! If you think you're so good at it, then you can go and do it yourself!" She yelled before turning around and stomping off in a huff.

"Huh? Hey wait!" Ryoga called out.

"Don't you dare follow me!" Louise shouted without looking back. This only served to annoy the water user.

"Oh you stubborn brat," Ryoga mumbled as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He knew he should chase after her considering Louise knew nothing about the area or what kind of people were in it, but given how she was right now doing so would only serve to piss her off further. And possibly him as well.

Plus, despite how it looked this may actually be for the best right now. Without Louise around he would be able to investigate on his own terms without having a nagging voice constantly over his shoulder. It would also be a good chance for the pink chibi to experience what life was like for the everyday common man who had to actually struggle in life to get by.

Still he knew he couldn't leave Louise to fend for herself. Troubling as she could be she was still his responsibility and he would rather see her not get hurt.

"Cat Shark," Ryoga called out to the spirit, who floated happily beside him and meowed. "Keep an eye on Louise will you? Make sure she stays out of trouble and doesn't do something stupid. Anything happens you find me right away."

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark nodded and flew off after the pinkette. Satisfied with the result Ryoga turned the opposite way and walked off to find answers.

* * *

The bell of the local church rang six in the evening as the first day of investigation came to a close, with the result being practically nothing.

Despite his new appearance and subtle questioning Ryoga was unable to get answers from anyone in the city. Not for lacking of trying, but because they all seemed too afraid to answer him. Whenever he approached the subject of nobles the people either redirected the topic, pretended to suddenly be busy, or simply ignored him. The only thing he found, rather _saw_ , was that every single person he spoke too had the exact same fear in their eyes. The fear of being discovered if they said anything, which only served to increase his anger towards the nobles causing this.

Deciding to call it a day and find Louise before it got dark, Ryoga quickly tracked Cat Shark down through the Barian Pendant's power. He eventually located the noble girl sitting at a bench with Cat Shark next to the fountain of the city's central plaza, which was practically void of other people. As Ryoga approached however he noticed Louise had her knees to her chest and a sulking look about her, which immediately set off alarm bells in his head.

Cat Shark noticed its' master's presence and meowed happily, catching Louise's attention as she looked up and spotted the boy. "Ryoga…"

The Duelist looked Louise over for a moment before taking a seat beside her. Cat Shark floated over and rested its' head on his lap, which he gently pet as an awkward silence passed between the two humans.

"So…care to tell me what happened?" Ryoga asked in a calm manner.

Louise flinched and looked away. "I…I thought I could get some extra money if I went to one of those casino places. I heard that people always come out of there with more than they entered with," her arms tightened around her legs. "But I wasn't able to get us anything and…lost it all instead."

"You lost everything!?" Ryoga nearly shouted.

"It wasn't my fault! The game was obviously rigged or something, and they clearly lied when they said I would earn more than I had!" Louise defended with flaming cheeks.

"Of course they would lie! Casinos are meant to steal peoples money not give it away!" Ryoga countered. Seriously, how naive was this girl? "Kami I can't leave you alone for five minutes, can I?" He groaned rubbing his head. He could already feel the migraine coming on.

"S-Shut up!" Louise turned even redder. "I-I was just about to try and figure out what we should do from this point."

"Oh really?" Ryoga gave a doubtful stare. "Then tell me, what plan do you have for us? Without money we have no way of getting food or shelter for the night. And that's not even considering tomorrow or even the day after. So tell me, oh great and wonderful Louise, what _exactly_ do you have in mind to get us out of this shithole you've dug us in!?"

Louise looked ready to say something back but stopped and averted her gaze. Seemed even she realized how bad she screwed up. Ryoga just shook his head and counted his blessings that he carried some of the coins Osmond paid him, but even that wasn't enough to help them right now.

"You know this wouldn't have happened in the first place if you weren't so spoiled," the former king stated. "Henrietta gave you that money out of trust, and now we have none of it to help us out. I thought you of all people would have been more careful with something like that."

Louise gained a guilty look. "I know…The princess gave us this mission in secret, so she must have had a difficult time coming up with that money."

"And yet you still threw it away."

Louise gripped her legs tightly and rested her chin on her knees. "I know that…but I…I still need those things Ryoga."

The water user sighed. This girl was so stubborn and thickheaded, but he couldn't entirely fault her for it. She had been raised with this sort of mindset and thinking because of her noble status, so it was beyond her to understand the type of environment she was being tossed into.

Suddenly an idea came to Ryoga. He had no idea why, but the thought of Louise's greed struck up a certain story he remembered.

"Hey Louise, you ever hear the tale of King Midas?"

Louise blinked and looked up confused. "King Midas? I don't recall there being a king by that name before."

"That's because he's a fable told to children back where I come from," Ryoga explained, turning his attention to the setting sky. "Long ago, King Midas was a wealthy ruler from an old kingdom, who loved only two things in life. His daughter Marigold, and actual gold. Midas believed that if he could gather enough gold in the world he could give it all to his daughter so that she would live a happy and peaceful life when he passed on."

"An honorable action," Louise reasoned.

"I think so too," Ryoga agreed. "But as time went on the king became obsessed with anything made of gold, to the point that the mere sight of it made him crave even more to add to his collection. He began to spend less time with his daughter and instead choose to be gathered around his collection," Ryoga frowned at the thought of such selfishness before shaking it off. "One day a strange man appeared before Midas and was impressed with the King's trove, complimenting that he'd never seen such grandeur before. Midas however told the man that even with such a collection he was not satisfied, and that he would only be so when everything he touched would turn to gold. Instead of being revolted by the king's greed, the stranger seemed pleased with the answer, and told Midas that the next day everything he touched would instantly be turned to gold."

"Impossible. Not even the strongest Square-class mages could do such a thing," Louise argued.

"True, but don't forget this is just a fable. Anyways the next day Midas discovered that the man's words held truth, and that everything he touched instantly became a golden form of itself. Needless to say, he was exalted by his new 'Golden Touch', and began to transform everything he saw to gold, including a rose garden that his daughter loved. But he didn't care and was consumed by his lust for the golden wealth," Ryoga paused, his hand ceasing to pet Cat Shark making the Xyz look at him with a pout. "But then at breakfast everything changed. Marigold came to the dining room and showed her father one of the golden roses he had made, which at first made Midas happy to see. Until he realized Marigold was crying. When asked about her tears, she said that she was saddened by how her once beautiful garden was now turned to gold. That the softness of the flowers was replaced by cold and ridged textures, and that the once wonderful scents were completely gone. Her tears were so heart wrenching that Midas couldn't even bring himself to tell his daughter about his involvement with the garden."

Louise said nothing and simply continued to listen, her body tense at wondering what would happen next.

"To help distract his daughter from the garden, Midas decided to have breakfast with his daughter. Yet the moment his food and drink touched his lips, they too became gold, unable to be enjoyed. Even when he tried forcing it down he only ended up hurting himself. This was of course a problem since if he couldn't eat, he would starve, and soon his desire for pleasure began conflicting with his desire for gold," Ryoga paused again, his head lowering to stare at the gravel road. "It was then…that Marigold, seeing her father saddened as well, decided to comfort him by running up and hugging him."

Louise gasped. "B-But that means…"

Ryoga nodded solemnly. "Yeah…the moment she touched her father, she turned to gold herself," Louise's eyes widened in horror. "It was only then that Midas truly realized the monster he had become, and how his actions had taken from him what truly mattered most," Ryoga looked over to Cat Shark, who watched its' master curiously. Smiling he scratched behind the spirit's ear making it purr in joy. "The point I'm trying to make Louise, is that money, wealth, all those things mean nothing in the end. You think you need them because that's how you were taught, but there is always something more important and worth caring for. And if you lose sight of that, then all the wealth in the world won't be enough to mend your heart."

"Ryoga…" Louise stared at the pretend familiar, her expression unreadable but her mind racing. Another silence passed between them, and after a moment Louise opened her mouth to speak.

"Tres bien!"

Suddenly a new voice spoke up from behind Ryoga and Louise, causing them and Cat Shark to turn around surprised.

What they saw however was…incomprehensible.

It was a man, or at least they assumed it was one. He had an athletic build to him with quite noticeable chest and limb hair. His eyes were amber in color and his hair was glossy black, seemingly covered in oil, matched with a similarly tinted beard and stylish moustache that reminded Ryoga of old black and white comic villains. That wasn't the disturbing thing though. What really stood out was the man's outfit, which consisted of a sparkling violet tang top designed for _women_ that showed off his abs and stomach, a black athletic bloomer, and a pair of white boots. And to top it all off, the man smelt of perfume and had abnormally large lips were covered in red lipstick.

Oh, and he also appeared to be crying mascara.

"Such a tragic story! Such sorrow! But such beautiful meaning behind it! It warms my heart to hear such words from such young people like you!" The "man" spoke femininely as he wiped his tears in a rather flamboyant fashion.

Louise and Ryoga remained frozen, still trying to comprehend what they were seeing. Finally gaining enough processing power Ryoga snapped from his state of shock first and shot up from his seat. "W-Who the hell are you?"

"Ah, pardon me!" The man's tears seemed to almost instantly disappear as he began to pose and dance around. "Bonjour! Bon! As you can obviously see I am not a suspicious person."

"The hell you're not!" Ryoga shouted even more disturbed than before.

"My name is Scarron. I happen to run a inn just up the road from here!" The man introduced himself as he got close to Ryoga. Far too close for the former Barian's taste, and unfortunately in doing so he only served to increase the boy's disturbance.

"KEEP THE HELL AWAY FROM ME YOU PERVERT!" Ryoga shouted as he instinctively brought his foot up swift and hard.

Right between Scarron's legs.

"GAHA!" Scarron screamed. His eyes turned blank as he grabbed at his crotch and collapsed onto the ground. "Mi…Mademoiselle…"

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark yelped surprised.

"R-Ryoga!?" Louise uttered, the unexpected action snapping her out of her confusion and causing her to wonder if what she saw was real or not. The purple-haired boy was usually so calm and serious outside of when he got angry, but this came completely out of nowhere.

Even Ryoga seemed to realize what he did as he blinked and looked down to the fallen figure before him. "Oh shit. I…I didn't mean to do that," he kneeled down to the strange man. "Hey, you alright?"

"Oh…ma mere…" Scarron muttered dazed. Deciding to help Ryoga quickly grabbed the man and began to lift him to his feet. Seeing this Cat Shark moved to assist while Louise ran over worried.

"Are you alright?" The noble asked concerned.

"Ah…that was…unexpected," Scarron mumbled finally seeming to get his senses back. "I-I shall be fine little one. Don't worry," he said with a smile as he ignored the pain and straightened himself out.

"Seriously, I'm sorry about that. I just reacted without thinking and-" Ryoga tried apologizing only to be stopped by a finger to his face.

"No no. You were in your right to protect yourself. Besides, it only shows me the fire in your eyes is indeed true!" Scarron declared almost gleefully. "It makes me want to help you both out even more now!"

"Eh? Help us?" Louise parroted as she and Ryoga looked at each other confused.

"That's right! I was on my way back to my inn when I overheard you speaking about how you lost all your money, as well as that tragic tale of this Midas fellow," Scarron explained. "To be lost out here without anywhere to go or any money is truly tragic for people so young and beautiful as yourselves. That is why I wanted to offer you two to stay in one of our rooms!"

"Really!?" Louise exclaimed, unable to believe their luck.

"And just why would you do that? What do you want in exchange?" Ryoga asked cautiously. This Scarron fellow was definitely not normal but he didn't have an aura that screamed dangerous about him. Disturbing as hell, yes, but not dangerous. Still it was rather suspicious that he would want to help out two random strangers he had just met. Plus he said he overheard their conversation, so did that mean he also heard them mention Henrietta?

"I just want to help is all! I could never stand by and watch someone be put in such a sad and lonely situation, especially a young pair like yourself," Scarron chirped. The answer surprised Ryoga since he didn't detect any deceit in Scarron's words. "As for your other question," the man smiled and pointed to Louise. "There is _one_ condition."

Louise blinked.

* * *

The Charming Fairies' Inn was a large two-story building where people could rent rooms on the second floor to stay in or enjoy a nice meal and drink at the tavern entrance. The place itself was nicely kept and polished, showing that despite being a place for fun it kept a professional appearance as well. What stood out about this inn though when compared to others were the maids. All of them young, beautiful girls of various age dressed in various flashy bustier-styled maid uniforms.

All of whom were currently lined up as Scarron stood before them. "Good words! Fairies!"

"Yes, Mr. Scarron!" The girls answered in unison.

"Wroooongg!" Scarron shouted while exaggeratedly shaking his hips. "When we're in the Shoppe, call me 'Mi Mademoiselle'!"

"Yes! Mi Mademoiselle!"

"Mmmm, tres bien! Such ecstasy!" Scarron trembled pleasantly. "Alright then, we'll start off with a saddening notice from Mi Mademoiselle. Recently the Charming Fairies' Inn's sales have been dropping. A new shop called a 'café' has been bringing out 'tea' that was recently imported from the East and stealing our customers," Scarron covered his eyes and began shedding tears.

"Don't cry! Mi mademoiselle!" The girls cried out again.

"You're right!" Scarron's tears disappeared like magic. "If we lost to this 'tea', the words 'Charming Fairies' would cry."

"Yes! Mi mademoiselle!"

Scarron jumped onto a table and posed intensely. "The Charming Fairies' promise! Un!"

"Serve with a cheerful smile!"

"The Charming Fairies' promise! Deux!"

"A clean, sparkling store interior!"

"The Charming Fairies' promise! Trois!"

"Receive lots of tips!"

"Très bien!" Scarron smiled and moaned satisfied. He then jumped off the table and clapped his hands together. "Well then, with that out of the way I have a wonderful announcement for you fairies! We get to make a new comrade today! Let me introduce her!" Scarron turned to the side and called out. "Rio-chan! Come out here!"

At the sound of her name being called a pink-haired and eyed girl stepped into view, her face beat red from shyness. Her outfit consisted of a suggestively short camisole, sticking to her like a corset and making her body lines more pronounced. The back was open to reveal its' charm and her hair was braised on the left and right into small cords.

"This is Rio-chan. She is a poor little girl who lost her home and family recently in a tragic accident, and has been traveling on the roads with her close friend and personal protector!" Scarron told in a sad yet dramatic fashion. The other girls looked at Rio with pity and remorse.

"Oh my!"

"The poor thing!"

The girls all spoke similar comments making Rio's cheek turn redder and causing her to shake. Though if one looked carefully it would be hard-pressed to tell if she did so from embarrassment or anger.

"Well then Rio-chan, greet the fairies that are going to become your co-workers," Scarron instructed. Rio shook all over and for a moment looked ready to explode, but at the last second collected herself and gave a very twitchy smile.

"M-M-M-My name is R-R-R-Rio! N-N-N-Nice to meet you!"

"Well done Rio! Now everybody applause and let her feel welcome!" Scarron said as he clapped his hands, the others quickly following as they all cheered for the new girl.

Despite her smile however, "Rio" was not too happy as her face twitched rapidly. _"I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill him. I'm going to kill you Ryoga!"_

In the nearby kitchen a purple-haired boy felt a shiver go down his spine as he cleaned dishes. _"Yup, she's pissed. Even without having to look I can already tell this is gonna bite me in the ass later."_

"Something wrong new guy?" A beautiful girl asked beside the boy. She had straight waist-length black hair tied back by a handkerchief and a pair of clear blue eyes. Unlike the other girls in the inn she wore a green one-piece dress that opened up at her chest, while a white apron hung at her waist.

"It's nothing. Just thinking was all," the boy replied.

"If you say so," the girl shrugged as she joined to assist in cleaning. "You know your friend back there is really cute. It's hard to believe she lost her family."

"Yeah well, sometimes life can be a bitch like that. But no matter what, you got to keep moving through it. Even if hurts to do so," the boy said calmly. He noticed the girl give him an odd stare. "What?"

"Oh nothing. Just a bit surprised since not many people see it that way, especially folks like us," the girl explained with a smile. "I'm Jessica by the way. What's your name?"

"Durbe. Pleasure to meet you."

"Durbe? Well that's an unusual name," Jessica said curiously.

"You have no idea," "Durbe" muttered quietly.

"Durbe" and "Rio" were in truth, mask for Ryoga and Louise. The Duelist had requested for Scarron to use them, saying that they had to keep their identities hidden due to circumstances. Louise had been confused by this until he explained that there was no way of knowing what nobles they'd run into or if anyone would recognize them by name, so it would be best to simply stay hidden until the mission was over.

Luckily Scarron had no problem with the request, saying that his inn never reveals or ask about the personal backgrounds of their employees, and keeps their eyes and ears shut on those matters. He then brought them to his inn and after showing them around for a bit, hired the duo on as his new workers, which was the condition for them staying. Not having many other options they agreed to the employment, with Louise taking the role of a new servant maid while Ryoga was assigned to cleaning dishes. Cat Shark and Derflinger meanwhile would stay hidden upstairs in the room they were given so the two weren't discovered or interfered with the business. Overall it wasn't a bad arrangement.

"Well either way, it's nice to meet you Durbe. If you have any questions about the place just ask me and I'll take care of you," Jessica gave a bright smile, which Ryoga returned.

"Thanks, I'll be sure to keep that in mind."

The two continued to clean and chat, unaware of Louise glaring ferociously at them from afar. "That stupid jerk."

* * *

There was a noticeable difference with any place between being closed and open. The Charming Fairies' Inn was no different. The moment their doors opened waiting customers came rushing inside and filling the place up. While the majority came for food and drink, most ended up staying for the girls, enjoying the sight of such young beauties serving them. It was a lively environment to be sure and everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves.

All save one that is.

"H-Here is your order," Louise said with a twitching smile as she placed a bottle of wine and ceramic glass down at the table she was serving.

"Hey girl, what are you doing? Hurry and pour it for me," the customer before her said with a drunken and vulgar smile. This only served to increase Louise's twitching.

" _H-How did it come to this? Me, a noble, serving a c-c-commoner!?"_ Such humiliating thoughts spun around in the pinkette's mind.

"Anh? What's wrong? Didn't I tell you to hurry and pour me some?"

" _This is a mission. This is a mission. Information gathering while disguised as commoners,"_ Louise reminded herself. She exhaled and somehow managed a smile. "T-Then I would like to serve you now," she picked up the wine bottle and began to shakily pour the liquid. Unfortunately, she was so freaked out that she didn't realize she missed the glass entirely and ended up pouring wine all over the man's shirt.

"What the hell are you doing!?" The man shouted.

"Ah! I-I'm sorry sir!" Louise rapidly apologized.

"Like an apology is going to help!" The man glared for a moment before a silly smile appeared on his face. "You…don't have any breast, but you're considerably pretty," Louise's face lost all shades of blood. "I've taken a liking to you. Maybe I'll have you feed me mouth-to-mouth. Then I'll forgive you, gahaha!"

Louise felt something in her snap. Smiling innocently she grabbed the bottle of wine and poured some into her mouth. The man looked excited for a moment only to then have the wine spat back into his face.

"Gah! What do you think you're doing you brat!?" The man shouted, only to jump back when Louise's foot slammed onto the table and she shoved a finger into his face.

"L-L-L-L-Lowlife! W-W-W-Who do you think I am!?" Louise shouted furiously at the man who just looked confused. "H-H-How dare you try and order a Du-"

"Oh I'm terribly sorry!" Scarron suddenly interrupted as he pulled Louise away and sat beside the customer, his arms wrapping tightly around the man. "She's a new girl here so she's not used to everything just yet," Scarron said leaning closer to the man, who paled and looked ready to bolt. Sadly Scarron's grip was tight and kept the customer firmly in place as he began wiping the man's face with a dish cloth. "This won't do at all! It's soaked in wine! Rio-chan, bring along some new wine!"

Louise seemed to snap out of her rage and looked at the scene surprised before nodding. "Y-Yes sir!" She replied before running off.

"And while she's fetching the wine, mi mademoiselle will keep you company…" Scarron whispered with a hungry gaze.

The customer's screams could be heard from outside the inn.

* * *

"Y-You got to be kidding me!?" Louise exclaimed, her mind still partially in a state of shock and disbelief over everything that happened today. "W-Why do I, a daughter of a Duke, have to deal with such a-a-a-"

"Settle down Louise," Ryoga patted the girl's head, hoping to prevent the chibi from bursting. "It's only the first day. You'll get used to it in time so long as you stay focused and control that temper of yours."

"Easy for you to say! What with you spending all your time in the kitchen with that g-g-girl!" Louise snapped back.

"Jessica? What about her?" Ryoga questioned.

Louise blushed and turned away. "F-Forget it! In any case, why do we have to stay in this attic that looks like a closet!? You don't honestly expect a noble like me to sleep here tonight do you!? There were bats earlier!"

Scarron set up their living arrangements for an old room located in the attic of the inn, though no matter how one looked at it, it wasn't exactly a room for living in. The place was dusty and dim and piled with all kinds of furniture and objects, most of which looked damaged or broken. Spider webs littered the area, and as stated there were some bats hanging out on the ceiling before, but those got chased away by Cat Shark.

It wasn't all bad though. Despite the set up there was a small, if slightly rough wooden bed in the middle of the room for sleeping, and after a bit of tidying up Ryoga and Cat Shark were able to make enough room for the three of them to move around and not feel crammed in. It was now somewhat endurable, though for Louise it might as well have been the equivalent of sleeping in a barn, even if she was the one getting the bed.

"What's wrong girly? Afraid of some flying rodents?" Derflinger teased from against one of the cupboards. If looks could melt a person the sword would have been a puddle of liquid metal from Louise's glare.

"Don't complain about it. We have a roof over our heads plus food and a way to earn some money. Living in the attic won't kill you," Ryoga said while arranging the pillow and sheets given to him by Jessica on the floor. "Besides, you heard what Scarron said before. Most of his customers are nobles, meaning we have a good chance of finding one of the people causing trouble. All we need to do is be patient and wait for them to show up."

Louise huffed but didn't disagree, even if she didn't like it. "You know you're handling this almost too well," she noted curiously.

Ryoga shrugged. "I've had more experience with this kind of lifestyle than I'd like to remember. Besides it's been a long day and I'm exhausted. I'd like to get some rest before we have to work tomorrow, as should you."

Louise moaned looking at the bed before reluctantly making her way to it. She stopped when she suddenly remembered something. "Hey Ryoga?"

"What's up?" Ryoga asked as he and Cat Shark arranged themselves on the floor.

"Who is Rio?"

Ryoga's hand froze just above grabbing the blanket, his eyes going wide and his expression suddenly showing a mixture of surprise, remembrance, and pain. Cat Shark looked to its' master worried as its' ears plopped down on its' head.

"What makes you think that name means something?"

A simple question that felt colder than it should have, something Louise picked up on. She then realized Ryoga was shaking slightly and that his hand hadn't moved from its' spot, making her grow concerned. Did she…say something wrong?

"W-Well, you took the name 'Durbe' right? I remember you saying he was a friend of yours, the one who taught you to fight. I just figured because of that Rio might be…" Louise trailed off not knowing if she wanted to finish asking.

Silence took over the room with none of the occupants moving. After a moment Ryoga stopped shaking and grabbed the blanket. "Rio is my sister."

"Eh?" Louise's head shot up surprised. "You have a sister?"

"Yeah…I did."

The implication being clear as day to Louise. "R-Ryoga I-"

"Goodnight Louise. Sleep well," Ryoga buried himself beneath the blankets cutting off the rest of the conversation. Never once turning back to face the pinkette.

* * *

A few days passed as Ryoga and Louise continued to work at the inn, and in that time the former Barian managed to make a positive impact on the place. He got along well with his fellow co-workers, Jessica especially so, and his skills with cleaning greatly impressed her and the other girls, and Scarron disturbingly enough.

For Louise however things weren't so great, as she was continuously plagued with frustration and humiliation towards those she served. It was bad enough when the customers constantly insulted her petite form and lack of chest, to which she served them their food forcibly, but it was even worse with those that actually found her attractive and tried to cope a feel. To those people she served her palms, sometimes on both cheeks if they were lucky.

Needless to say, Louise's aggressive tendencies and outburst caused her to receive no tips at all. Today was again such a day, and after yet another incident where she booted a customer's face, Scarron brought Louise away from serving and made her stand in a corner of the tavern.

"Now Rio-chan sweetie, just stay over here and watch how the other girls do it okay?" Scarron instructed calmly.

Louise nodded. "I-I'm sorry," she apologized saddened. Scarron gave a sympathetic smile before heading back to work.

Louise was actually grateful to the bizarre man's treatment of her. Despite his eccentric nature he never yelled or punished her for what she did. Instead he always tried to help her out and show her what she did wrong, as did the other girls of the inn. It made her feel worse because of how much trouble she kept bringing them, but at the same time she couldn't help it.

"Why do I have to dress up in this embarrassing outfit and serve other people," Louise muttered as she watched the other girls in the tavern. They were extremely skilled, always smiling brightly and never getting mad no matter what someone said or did. They smoothly conversed and complimented the customers, and when someone tried to touch them they would kindly grab that hand and prevent them from doing so, which actually seemed to make the men more determined to try to win the girl's favor by splurging out tips for them.

Louise felt there was no way she could compete with that. She was born into a family of nobles and mages after all. At her home she was practically a princess in her own right. It was that pride that just refused to give up and act in such a sweetly manner to these perverts.

" _And on top of that they keep saying I'm small and flat-chested. It's not my fault I'm like this,"_ Louise looked down to her body with a frown. She didn't deny that internally, she wasn't very attractive, but outside she still believed herself to be cute looking. And this outfit, despite how embarrassing it was, helped to show off that side of her.

It was at least one thing she had over these girls. They could never hope to match the nobility she did. She would always stand above them in that regard, and it would always be something that made her appeal all the more better.

" _Even Ryoga knows that,"_ Louise thought to herself nodding. Her eyes then lit up in realization. _"T-That's right! That's also something I have. Ryoga! He said he was grateful to me after all, so he'll never leave my side and always support me. Like a real familiar, or even a knight. A purple colored knight riding a giant fish,"_ she quietly giggled as she began fantasizing.

It was then the sound of laughter accompanied Louise's giggling and caught her ears. Turning to the noise she saw Jessica and Ryoga washing dishes again, with the female laughing at something Ryoga said. The sight of the two together dropped any happy thoughts and made Louise's pink hair start surging.

"T-That stupid jerk! H-How dare he look at another girl that way. It's like with that maid all over again," Louise growled as watched the two. Her eyes drew to Jessica viciously and looked down to the female's chest. It was large, probably the largest of any of the girls at the inn, rivaling even Kirche's. "A-And her chest. W-What's so great about those apple-like things? Don't tell me he prefers b-b-bigger breast also!"

The two dishwashers laughed again causing Louise's mind to snap. She grabbed a nearby wine bottle and pulled back to hurl it at the Duelist.

" _Rio is my sister."_

Louise froze mid-throw, the memory of the first night playing upon seeing Ryoga smile. The noble's anger seemed to instantly dissipate as she put the bottle down and looked at the boy sorrowfully.

She couldn't stop thinking about that moment and the reaction Ryoga gave. She wasn't even aware he had family since he never talked about them or mentioned it when he explained where he was from. She simply assumed he came from an average everyday household. Yet the way his voice and face filled with such pain and sadness at her question made her feel guilty for bringing the subject up in the first place.

The idea of losing family, especially a sibling, was heart-wrenching. She couldn't begin imagining a life without Cattleya, or even Eleonore. And while part of her was still curious about Ryoga's sister, she wouldn't pry into such a personal issue. She just hoped he would accept her apology once this mission was over.

While Louise was lost to her thoughts, inside the kitchen Ryoga was conversing with Jessica and getting to know his workmate a little better.

"Wait you're serious? Scarron's actually your _father_?" Ryoga questioned in utter disbelief.

"Yeah I know, hard to believe right?" Jessica smirked.

"I think that's an understatement," Ryoga said shaking his head. How did him asking about Scarron's use of the suffix "chan" end up revealing something like this? He'd been curious since only Siesta ever used suffixes when addressing people, so of course finding another person that did so would draw his attention. He just didn't expect to be told something so bizarre.

Genetics were messed up.

"Well despite him being the adult I'm the one who's actually in charge of what goes on at the inn," Jessica explained. "Not that papa couldn't handle it himself, but between the two of us I'm better suited for the task, while he's better at teaching and entertaining the girls and guest."

"Makes sense. You're pretty smart and seem to know what goes on in this place like the back of your hand. Though forgive me if I don't exactly believe someone like you could have a father like Scarron," Ryoga looked over his shoulder to see Scarron flirting with another male customer, sending a shiver of fear down his spine. Yup, he had serious doubts about _any_ woman having had a relationship with that guy.

"Awww, you're going to make me blush you tease," Jessica winked playfully. "But seriously, despite his nature papa is a great man. When my mother died, he said 'Well then, papa will take mama's place too.' And he's really done his best to fulfill that roll, to the point of taking care of all of the girls like they were his own children," the innkeeper's daughter released a cute laugh. "Guess that makes me the big sister watching out for my little siblings, don't it?"

Ryoga stiffened at the word 'sister' and turn his eyes downwards. "Yeah…suppose it does."

Ever since the night Louise asked about Rio his mind was constantly rethinking about his lost sibling. From the good, to the bad, to the times they lost each other, and to all the times she died before his eyes. Those memories just kept resurfacing and replaying over and over in his head and just wouldn't go away, as if once again trying to haunt him. It didn't help that Louise was using Rio's name for her disguise, making the former king flinch every time he heard someone call out that name. His body shook just thinking about it, and it was why he had been avoiding Louise as much as possible since then.

He knew it was unfair since she knew nothing of the kind of tragedies he and his twin faced. He doubted anyone in this world could understand. But every time he saw her he kept flashing back to that question, and that in turn made him think about other subjects he would rather forget. Especially regarding-

"Durbe?" Jessica suddenly called out, snapping the former Barian from his thoughts.

"Huh? Oh sorry," Ryoga apologized. Dammit, he was obsessing again.

"Hey, you alright? You didn't look too good just now," Jessica said concerned. Ryoga just shook his head and went back to cleaning.

"It's nothing. Just forget it."

"Nope!" Jessica declared as she stopped working and fully turned to face the ocean-eyed teen. "Can't forget something like that, not when it can affect your workflow. Something's bothering you isn't it? I can tell."

"Oh really? You can tell that?" Ryoga scoffed.

"Yup! I'm the big sister remember?" Jessica joked, making Ryoga flinch again. Her expression then became serious. "And that means when a sibling of mine is upset I can recognize it. And I've seen that look of yours on the other girls many times before, so what's up?"

"I told you it's nothing," Ryoga repeated, now growing irritated.

"Doesn't sound like nothing to me."

"I said I don't want to talk about it."

"Well maybe _I_ want too."

"Just drop it, okay!"

"When you're being like this? Seriously, what's wro-"

"WILL YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!?" Ryoga shouted, slamming the plate in hand onto the counter hard causing it to chip. His teeth grit together and his grip tightened on the porcelain before he suddenly realized what he was doing. Releasing the plate he turned to Jessica only to see she had jumped back, her eyes now full of shock and a bit of fear. The Xyz user immediately felt regret. He didn't mean to get so angry, his frustration just got the better of him, but that was no excuse for how he acted.

Before he could even think to apologize however, Jessica suddenly grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and pulled him face to face, her shock morphing into a rather annoyed look.

"How can I when you're acting stupid!? What do you think you are, a big shot or something!?" Jessica yelled fiercely, much to Ryoga's surprise. He certainly didn't expect this kind of reaction. Jessica glared for a couple of seconds before sighing and releasing the boy, her arms crossing as she gave a stern look. "Look, I know you've only been working here a couple of days, but take this as advice from your senior employee. I've seen guys like you before. People who try to hold stuff in thinking they have the weight of the world on their shoulders, or obsessing over something and not bothering to tell anyone because they think it's their burden to carry."

Jessica's eyes narrowed upon catching Ryoga stiffen and divert his gaze.

"Yeah, I thought so. Well do you know what happens to people when they do that? They collapse. They break apart and destroy themselves. Whether it's the stress or the pain it always happens. It's happened to a lot of the girls here in the past and it's always the same," Jessica shoved a finger right in Ryoga's face. "And while you may just think yourself to be a new employee here, you're now part of the Charming Fairies' Inn. Which makes you family!" Ryoga's eyes widened while Jessica's softened. "And family always watches over and protects each other, no matter the problems. So stop being a dumbass and don't be afraid to open up and talk to us about it, alright?"

Ryoga was quite for a moment as he took in what Jessica said. Eventually he gave a single nod, not knowing if it was because he understood or that he didn't trust his own words. Jessica seemed satisfied either way and smiled.

"Good," she said relieved. She then placed her hands on her hips and give a sly look. "With that said, does your attitude have anything to do with Rio being a noble?"

Ryoga's eyes snapped fully open. "W-What?"

Jessica grinned victoriously. "I knew it! She didn't even know how to carry dishes. Not only that, but she's got an unusual amount of pride in herself. And that demeanor of hers, she's definitely got to be a noble. Right?"

Ryoga mentally cursed. How the hell did she find out? Okay sure anybody with a brainstem could have easily recognized Louise as a noble if they paid attention, but Jessica seemed to figure it out right away. Then again, she did manage to pick up on his troubled thoughts without any evidence behind it, even managing to correctly guess some of his more negative traits from it. No wonder she was in charge of the inn. This girl was pretty damn perceptive.

Still, this didn't help considering he and Louise were supposed to be keeping themselves hidden. But one look in Jessica's eyes told him she was a mass of curiosity and wouldn't let this drop. Pretending not to know anything would be a waste of time, so instead he decided to try and play it cautiously.

"If I were to say yes, and I'm not saying I am, what exactly would that mean for you?" Ryoga whispered so as to not let themselves be overheard.

"So I was right after all!" Jessica cheered excitedly. She suddenly leaned closer getting her face right next to Ryoga's, making him turn red from how close she was. "Where's she from? How'd you two meet? Are you a noble as well? Come on tell me!"

"H-Hey settle down," Ryoga backed up nervously, his plan of being cautious suddenly hurled out the window.

"Aw come on! I promise I won't tell anyone," Jessica pleaded with huge puppy dog eyes. Once again Ryoga cursed the gods of this world for allowing females to know that technique. "Say, do you want me to teach you about girls?"

"Huh?" Ryoga looked confused only to stiffen when his hand was grabbed.

"How about this," Jessica purred seductively. "You tell your big sister everything about little Rio over there, and I'll teach you all sorts of _fun_ stuff."

The next thing Ryoga knew was the feeling of soft skin as Jessica brought his hand onto her right breast. The Duelist's mind nearly shut down from the action, unable to comprehend what was happening. Luckily, he was awake enough to sense danger approaching as he removed his hand and grabbed Jessica's shoulders, quickly pulling them both to the ground just before a wine bottle flew over their heads and smashed into the wall beside them.

"YOU STUPID JERK!" Louise shouted, having entered the kitchen and glaring at the two infuriatedly. More so at Ryoga.

"What the hell Lo-, Rio! Are you trying to kill us!?" Ryoga shouted back, still having enough focus to not say her real name.

"Shut up! What do you think you're doing t-t-t-touching her b-b-b-boobs you dog!?" Louise exclaimed in a shaky rage.

"Ah man, and that was perfectly good wine too," Jessica complained, seemingly unfazed by the fact she nearly got hit as she got up and faced Louise. "You know that's gonna cost you right?"

Louise huffed. "Shut up! I'll pay it back later."

"Oh hoh? And with what money considering you can't get any tips worth a damn?" Jessica gave a mischievous smile. "Girls like you are such a bother. You anger the regular customers, don't receive orders well, pick fights endlessly, and throw glasses around," with each comment Louise twitched more and more ferociously. Especially when Jessica pointed to the stain caused by the wine bottle at the last one. "Well I guess it can't be helped. Brats like you can't work as a bar's fairy."

"I'm not a brat! I'm sixteen!" Louise shouted defensively.

"Eh? You're the same age as me?" Jessica said disbelieving. She glanced to Louise's chest before looking at her own. She busted a gut. "Hahahaha. Oh wow. Good luck then, though I won't be expecting anything. But keep messing up and your fired, got it?"

Louise snapped at the laughter. "W-What? You s-stupid woman and your big breast! Calling people a brat, water flea, and washboard!"

" _Nobody has ever said those last two,"_ Ryoga mentally commented, knowing full well the wrath that would follow if he said it aloud.

"Just you watch! I'll collect enough tips to buy a castle! Because when I try my best I'm amazing! I'll have all those men turn towards me!" Louise declared confidently.

"Is that so?" Jessica gave a sly smirk and crossed her arms over her own impressive bust. "Well then I guess that means you'll win the tip race next week for sure, won't you?"

"Tip race?" Ryoga asked.

"It's a little competition we have to see which of the girls can gather the most tips by the end of the week There's also a prize for the winner," Jessica explained.

"Hmph. If that's all then I'll win it no problem!" Louise boasted.

"I see, I see," Jessica nodded sagely, though her smirk kind of broke the image. "In that case let's have a bet. If you beat me in the tip race I'll apologize for making fun of you and never call you a brat again. But if I win," Jessica suddenly grabbed Ryoga's arm and hugged it between her breast. "I get to keep Durbe!"

"Wait what!?" Both Louise and Ryoga shouted. The Duelist felt his face heat up from the feeling on his arm, while Louise was caught between pure rage and worry.

"What's wrong Rio? Afraid of me taking away your best friend? Cause I'm sure we could have all sorts of _fun_ together, don't you?" Jessica teased with a seductive glance to Ryoga, who was doing his best to avoid looking down.

Any hesitation Louise had shattered at the action as she sent a death glare to the other female. "You're on! Just you watch, I'll get more tips then you could ever imagine!"

"I look forward to seeing you try," Jessica returned with a small glare of her own.

All the while Ryoga just stood there wishing someone would kill him.

* * *

"Fairies! The week has finally arrived!"

"Yes, Mi Mademoiselle!"

All the girls were lined up in the middle of the inn while Scarron posed before them dramatically. Louise and Jessica stood amongst the girls, each giving a look to the other that didn't spell anything good out.

"Let's start the tip race with great enthusiasm!" Scarron declared, earning an applause that resounded throughout the inn. "Now then, as everyone knows the Charming Fairies' Inn dates back four-hundred years during the reign of His Majesty, Henry III, also called the Tristain Attraction King, as His Majesty was known to be a peerlessly handsome man and said to be the reincarnation of an actual fairy. One day for reasons unknown the king visited the city in secret, and amazingly enough, set foot in this unopened bar. At that time, the store's name was 'Eel's Bed' Inn, which didn't have the slightest bit of appeal or anything at all. But it was here that the king, wouldn't you know it, fell in love with a waitress girl he met!"

The girls let out various cries of how romantic it sounded. Scarron smiled but then shook his head sadly.

"Alas, a king should not fall in love with a girl from a bar, and in the end, he gave up on this love. But then, in secret, the king prepared a bustier and sent it to the girl as a memento of their love. My ancestors were greatly impressed by that love, and when they took over they changed the store's name, basing it on the bustier."

"What a beautiful story! Mi mademoiselle!"

"Such forbidden and wonderful love!"

"Indeed! That is why this…" Scarron went to a side of the store where a curtain hung and pulled at the rope beside it. "Is called the 'Charming Fairies' Bustier'!"

The curtain opened to reveal a very beautiful and almost glowing black bustier uniform with white frills. The outfit had such an aura to it that it made all the girls eyes sparkle with delight, even Louise's.

"This 'Charming Fairies' Bustier' that the king sent to the girl he loved four-hundred years ago is my family's heirloom!" Scarron explained. "This bustier has magic that allows it to change its size depending on its wearer's constitution, allowing anybody to wear it. It also has the magic "Attraction" cast on it."

Hearing that made Louise's eyes go wide. Attraction? That was the spell that made whatever or whoever it was cast on be able to charm the people around them. It was a spell literally made for, as the namesake stated, attracting.

"It's wonderful! Mi mademoiselle!"

"Nnnn! Très bien!" Scarron moaned with an ecstatic voice. "The fairy that wins the tip race will be given the rights to wear this 'Charming Fairies' Bustier' for a day! A girl who wears this can earn tips without limit!"

"W-Without limit?" Louise stuttered in bewilderment.

"The girl who won the face last year earned so much she went back to her hometown! Geez! I wonder how many tips one would get on the day she wears it! I get excited just thinking about it!" Scarron giggled as he pointed to his fairies'. "And that's why everyone should try their best!

"Yes! Mi Mademoiselle!"

"Y-Yes!" Louise called out, her lips forming a wide grin. _"This will definitely be my chance! I'll make up the money I lost and show Ryoga and that black-hair just what I can do!"_

"Excellent! Now everyone, hold up your glasses!" Scarron instructed. The girls each grabbed a glass cup and raised them to the air, Scarron doing the same with his own. "To the tip race's success and business, prosperity and..." Scarron cut off and stood up straight with a serious look. He cleared his throat and then, not in his usual feminine tone but in a proper middle-aged man's voice, spoke. "A prayer to Her Majesty, Princess Henrietta's health. Cheers."

"Cheers!"

From the kitchen Ryoga raised his own glass, his eyes reflecting back at him in the material.

"Cheers…"

* * *

The week flew by faster than anyone realized. The girls seemed more determined than ever to win the tip race, as they put in all their effort in pleasing their customers. It was a war of cuteness, beauty, and sexual appeal.

A war Louise was losing.

No matter what she tried, every day the pink-colored noble would end up doing something wrong or just be pushed the wrong way. Palms, kicks, and food were all sent to the unfortunate sap that ended up triggering her. Because of this not only did she build a reputation in the inn of being the "Ogre Fairy", which infuriated her further, but she hadn't gotten even a single tip. Zero was her tip score, as if to mock her. It didn't help that Jessica was absolutely dominating the race and in first place for winning.

It also didn't help that her only support wasn't there for her. Ryoga still refused to interact with her unless he had too, and always gave a look that just made her feel bad. This only seemed to add to the noble's negative mood with the customers and made her take it out on them. It was turning into a never-ending cycle of rage and sadness.

" _Why do I have to do this?"_ Louise thought as she laid on her bed. It was the night before the final day of the tip race and her mood had dropped to absolute zero, just like her nickname. _"I can't do this. I'm a noble. I can't do things like serving or acting like a commoner. I can't even get any information for the princess._ "

That was another thing that served to negatively impact Louise. Even staying here over a week neither she nor Ryoga were able to gather any information on the corrupt nobles. Seemed even Scarron and the fairies were nervous to speak out loud about it. It was just another failure to add to the list, and a horrible one for failing Henrietta of all people.

"Maybe I should just give up," Louise muttered defeated. Cat Shark moved in front of her with a light pout and nuzzled against her palm. She rubbed the Xyz's head gently but didn't feel any better as her vision started to become watery.

She was so lost in her despair that she almost didn't hear the door open. Footsteps moved towards her and she watched as Ryoga stepped into view and put a plate of food on the drawer in front of her.

"Eat up," he said in a calm manner.

"Not hungry," Louise mumbled.

"You need to eat. At this point you look about ready to collapse. You'll need your strength if you want to keep going."

"I don't care. It tastes horrible anyways."

Ryoga's eyes narrowed. He sent a glance to Cat Shark who sensed its' master's emotions and quickly backed up to sit beside Derflinger.

"So what, you're just going to call it quits then? What about the mission?" Ryoga asked.

"I don't care anymore," Louise answered quietly.

"The princess gave you this mission remember? Henrietta is waiting for us to return with information because she couldn't use anybody from her royal court. She trusted you. Are you saying you don't care if you let her down?"

"What does the mission have to do with serving people and humiliating myself?" Louise said with a bit of bite. "I don't want to be assigned something like this. This is stupid and a waste of time. I'm a noble. I should be-"

Louise didn't get to finish as Ryoga grabbed her by the shoulder and pulled her up from the bed.

"Have you seriously learnt _nothing_ over these past few days?" Ryoga spoke with cold anger, getting straight into Louise's face making her recoil back fearfully. "The job's hard huh? So what? Everyone else is working and trying their best at what you call stupid. Let me remind you that it was your noble pride that got us into this situation in the first place. You'd think that'd have taught you something, but no, you just bring your pride here and cause even more problems. Because for some reason you people feel the need to have others serve you on hand and foot."

Louise's lip trembled as she looked down and didn't say anything. She felt anything she could say would be pointless. Seeing this Ryoga sighed and released her as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Whatever. You want to give up, fine. Go back to the academy and stay there, but I'm not leaving. These people need help and I'm going to do what I can for them regardless of how tough it may be," Ryoga made his way to leave the room only to stop at opening the door. "You know…I had hoped the story of Midas would have made you realize something, but I see now that was a waste of time. It's clear you can't handle even the basic of task. Perhaps that's to be expected given how you were raised. But I thought someone like you, who prides herself so much, would have given your all and not called it quits when the going got tough…That'll teach me won't it?"

Louise flinched and looked up to see Ryoga close the door behind him. But not before she caught a glimpse of his eyes.

They were full of disappointment.

Silence took the room as Louise looked down to her hands, her body shaking as tears poured down her face. Cat Shark meowed worried and flew onto the bed beside her. She didn't even hesitate to hug the spirit and cry into its' body.

" _Why…why does it hurt so much?"_ Louise wondered. Her heart ached with such unexplainable pain. The face Ryoga had, it made her so scared, so insecure and uncertain. The idea of him being disappointed in her, of hating her was just so…painful.

" _But if I win," Jessica suddenly grabbed Ryoga's arm and hugged it between her breast. "I get to keep Durbe!"_

Louise's teeth clenched at the memory, not from anger, but fear. Would Ryoga really just walk away and leave her if she lost? No, she knew he wasn't that kind of person. But with how she's been maybe he would leave her. He wasn't a true familiar after all. He could walk away whenever he wanted, and the thought of that scared her more than anything.

" _But why…why am I so afraid of losing Ryoga?"_ Louise held a hand over her pondered the question for some time, not moving from Cat Shark's warmth. After a while her hand clenched tightly on her chest and she pulled herself up, wiping the tears on her face.

Looking around she spotted the meal Ryoga left behind. A cup of water, some leftover bread, and a small bowl of stew. Nothing fitting for a noble.

She grabbed the bowl and dug straight in.

* * *

The final day of the tip race had arrived, with Scarron announcing the order of the girl's progress. As expected, Jessica was in first and Louise was in last. This was the last chance for the girls to do their best and make as much money as they could, though even trying her best it was clear that Louise had no chance of winning.

That didn't stop her however. In fact, the whole day Louise acted different from her usual self. She didn't force herself to act like the other girls. She didn't put on a pretend smile or move the same way they did. Those would only bring about the same problems as before. Instead, she acted as she should have the whole time. As what she was meant to be.

A proper, pride, and true noble.

The customers who received her today didn't received the usual slap, kick, or being covered in their own meals. Instead, they were given a kind of service that couldn't be given by any common girl. Louise's posture was pristine and precise, her every movement wasted no effort. Her bow was like that of greeting a member of royalty, and her smile gave a grace of elegance that couldn't be matched. Even when she was embarrassed she used it to her advantage, making the customers interested in why she looked nervous. She even stood by and listened to the customers speak, not saying a word and instead giving them the ear that always paid attention to lessons on magic and nobility. These were the actions of a noble, of one raised with that lifestyle, and was something that stood out compared to the other girls.

And it was working. Louise was making tips. Actual true tips ranging from silver to gold coins! She had to race to the bathroom just to let out a squeal from receiving her first tip. More determined than ever the pinkette kept up this attitude the whole day, never faltering and pushing herself to her best ability, earning even more tips and praise than ever before.

But it still wasn't enough. One glance at Jessica was all that was need to show that Scarron's daughter was unmatched. Her talent of making customers believe she loved them and acting jealous when they looked at other girls was astonishing. The black-haired girl made Kirche's attempts look like a child in comparison.

Louise was jealous of Jessica's talents, but today because of how she was, she also grew a respect for it. Even she couldn't deny that Jessica's coaxing ability was far above hers. But that didn't matter to Louise. No, what mattered was that even if Jessica was the better skilled and talented of the two, that she wouldn't give up. She wouldn't surrender to this common girl without a fight. She would show her, no, she would show everyone of the Charming Fairies' Inn what she, Louise de La Valliere, could do.

" _I won't lose,"_ Louise glanced over to the kitchen, her hand clenching over her chest. _"Watch me Ryoga. I won't lose."_

* * *

The feathered doors of the inn opened and a new group of customers came in. But there was something different about this group. At the head was a portly middle-aged man with thinning hair stuck to his large head. In his left hand was a large wooden staff and around his neck was a mantle signifying noble status. The men beside him were all dressed in military uniform, each one carrying a rapier-like-wand on their hips.

"A noble?" Louise pondered looking over the new guest. It was then she realized the entire tavern fell silent.

"My, my, if it isn't Chulenne-sama. Welcome to the Charming Fairies' Inn," Scarron greeted as he approached the man, though everyone could tell he looked quite uncomfortable at the moment.

"Hmm. It looks like your inn is flourishing today, isn't it shop manager?" Chulenne spoke in a sleazily voice.

"Oh no, no. Not at all sir. Today is just a coincidence," Scarron spoke nervously. "Usually we're so empty you'd be able to hear a cuckoo sounding. I was actually going to consult with my daughter about-"

"Enough of the excuses," Chulenne ordered. "I am not here on a job today. I have come as a customer."

"I see. But as you can see my lord, all the seats are taken right now," Scarron motioned to the other tables, all of which were occupied.

Chulenne let out a snort of amusement. "It doesn't seem that way to me." He raised his hand and snapped his fingers, making the men around him pull out their wands. The action caused the customs to immediately get up in fear and race out of the inn at full speeds, while all the girls working quickly used the confusion to hide inside the kitchen.

This was the sight that greeted Ryoga as he returned from checking stock in the back. "The hell? What's going on?" He asked confused as he looked over the girls, all of whom seemed scared.

"That bastard is back," Jessica answered angrily. She motioned for the other girls to get down and hide before moving towards the counter to peek over. Ryoga followed and was surprised to see a near empty inn, save for the single party of men sitting in the middle of it.

"Well I guess you weren't wrong Scarron. It seems that cuckoo you spoke of was true after all," Chulenne laughed, his belly jiggling from the action.

"Who's he?" Ryoga asked feeling immediate distain for the man.

"Chulenne, a tax collector around these parts," Jessica spat out venomously. "He's a horrible person who abuses his position to do whatever the hell he wants. He comes to our store under his jurisdiction and swarms around us. Swaggering around just because he's a noble," her grip tightened on the kitchen counter. "He disgusts me. But if he doesn't get his way he puts a huge tax on you and bankrupts your store, meaning no businesses can stand up to him," she looked back to the other girls worried. "The worst part is that he fondles the girls here all he wants and won't even pay a single copper coin. He's one of the worst kinds of scum out there, and no girl here would ever serve someone like him willingly."

Ryoga felt his anger flare. So this was one of the bastards that was causing trouble for the commoners huh? Just looking at the guy and hearing what Jessica described of him was enough to make the former Barian sick. The idea that these girls were touched by this pig reminded him too much of what nearly happened to Siesta, and to be reminded of that event was enough to send him over the edge.

"Oh! This store seems to be making quite the profit! Isn't this wine a well-cured sake from Gronyu? And the clothes those girls were wearing are tailored by Gallia! I guess I have to look over this year's tax rates," Chulenne complained, making excuses for taxation as his impatience grew. "Come now, is there not a girl who will pour alcohol for Her Majesty's tax collector? This store at least sells that, right?"

Ryoga caught movement from the corner of his eye and looked over to see what it was, only to blanch and facepalm at the sight. "Oh you idiot."

"What's wrong?" Jessica asked confused. Ryoga just pointed and directed her gaze, which became full of shock. "R-Rio!"

The two watched as Louise approached the table with a tray containing wine and a glass cup. While she shaking like usual it was more out of excitement this time rather than nervousness.

" _He definitely a rich-looking noble. This is my chance!"_ Louise thought to herself as she put on the best smile she could and approached the tax collector, placing the tray in front of him. "H-Here you go my most charming lord."

Chulenne smirked at the praise and examined the pinkette's body, only to frown when he caught sight of her chest. "What's this? Does this place employee children now Scarron?"

"C-Children?" Louise stuttered with a twitch.

"Go away! I have no need for children! Off with you!" Chulenne ordered. Louise's temple twitched as she stood still, refusing to move. The tax collector got annoyed at first but then took a second look and laughed. "Oh, it seems I was mistaken! Upon closer inspection you're not a kid, just a girl with really small breast! They're just so flat I thought you were a child!"

Louise twitched again, her body trembling. Chulenne saw this and gave a sly grin as he mistook her actions as nervousness.

"Now, how about I take a closer look and see just how small they really are?"

Chulenne's face twisted with lust as he extended an arm slowly towards Louise's chest. The chibi noble turned pale and seemed to freeze up, an innocent smile etched onto her face. As everyone else in the inn watched intensely worried at what would happen, Ryoga sighed and mentally counted.

" _Three…two…one…"_

"DON'T MESS WITH ME DAMN YOU!"

 **BAM!**

The sole of a foot slammed straight into Chulenne's face, sending the large man tumbling off his seat and onto the hard wood.

"Non!" Scarron shouted while the other girls all screamed in horror. Even Jessica looked terrified.

"Shit this is bad! Durbe we need to-" Jessica turned only to not see the purple-haired employee anywhere. "Durbe?"

"Wha, why you!?" Chulenne shouted as his men quickly gathered around him and drew their wands. "D-Damn you! Such insolence! You're a mere peasant and yet you dare strike the face of the royal tax collector!?"

"P-Please forgive her!" Scarron quickly intervened to try and save the situation. "She just started working here and-"

"Silence!" Chulenne screamed as he flipped a table over in rage. He then glared at Louise, who stared right back unflinching. "How dare you, you damn washboard bitch!" He shouted lunging for the girl.

He was met with an explosion in the face.

Chulenne's entourage watched in shock as their leader was thrown to the ground, his entire front now sizzling like a smoked sausage. Louise huffed as she flicked her wand in hand. She wasn't so naive as to go anywhere without it and had kept it hidden in her stocking in case something happened. Like now for instance.

"You…do you know how much trouble I've gone through this past week? How much I've struggled and worked myself to the point of exhaustion? It was bad enough having to deal with a bunch of perverted dogs and idiots, but then you go ahead and call me a child and a w-w-w-washboard?" Louise pointed her wand at the noble angrily. "Why do you have to go so far and say those things!? Isn't it too much for you to call me a washboard when I came to pour you some alcohol!? You better prepare yourself!"

By this point Chulenne managed to regain his bearings and push himself back up. "N-No way. A noble? But why?" The chunky man stuttered, a bit of fear running through him from the girl's power.

"I have no answers to give to a lowlife official like you!" Louise declared.

"Seize her! I'll have her hanged!" Chulenne ordered his subordinates. The men nodded and raised their wands making Louise step back nervous. Before they could act however a fast blue and white blur flew past them, and with it their wands disappeared from their grasp much to their utter shock and confusion.

"Mrrow mrrow!" The men looked up to see a cat-fish hybrid flying in the air and waving at them, their wands held firmly in its' fins.

"Cat Shark!" Louise yelled surprised.

"W-What in the name of Brimir?" Chulenne uttered confused. He felt a tapping on his shoulder and turned around, only to have a five-fingered sandwich greet his jaw and send him hurdling into one of his men.

"That felt far more satisfying than it should have been."

"Ryoga!" Louise called out as the Duelist stepped forward, his Duel Disk and D-Gazer equipped. He looked over to her and sighed frustrated.

"You idiot. Look at the trouble you've got us into now."

"S-Shut up! As if I could allow such vulgar words to be spoken to me!" Louise defended.

"Y-You…" Chulenne growled out as he stood back up clenching his face. "You too would dare strike a noble's face!?"

Ryoga loudly scoffed. "Noble? Where? All I see is a pig."

"Excuse me!?"

Ryoga pointed a finger at the man. "Who the hell do you think you are to go around and abuse your title on the common folk? Did you really think everyone would just sit by and let you do whatever you want? That you could just hurt innocent people? Don't fuck with me!" Ryoga pulled back and raised the Duel Disk. "You're nothing but a pig who's gotten too fat and thinks himself high on the food chain. But you seem to have forgotten the shark waiting above, because as long as I'm here, you won't ever touch Louise or these girls!"

Louise's heart thumbed at the declaration. "Ryoga…"

"You little-" Chulenne began only to be smacked in the head as Cat Shark flew over him and floated beside its' master. "Gah! What the heck is that thing? A familiar?"

"This would be my good friend, Cat Shark," Ryoga drew a card from his deck and looked it over. "And _this_ …"

Ryoga slammed the card on the Duel Disk. A circuit of water formed behind Chulenne and his men surprising them. A bubbling growl then echoed out as the water dissipated to reveal a terrifying creature beneath. It had the head of a dark purple shark, but with a nose that resembled a sawfish's. Most disturbing of all however was the very large and red body of an octopus that made up its' lower half.

"Would be Sharktopus," Ryoga gave a wicked smile as the spirit roared, making Chulenne and his men jump back fearfully.

"No way. Was that magic?" Jessica said as she looked at Ryoga astonished. "Then…he's a noble as well?"

"W-What is that thing!?" Chulenne shouted. Sharktopus snapped at his direction and roared, its' tentacles shooting towards the noble and his men making them scream and try to run away. The creature's speed was too fast though and easily caught up, snatching them in tight grips. The nobles were lifted into the air and dangled like gutted fish, helpless as Sharktopus hissed viciously before it swung its' tentacles and hurled them across the room.

Chulenne crashed through several tables before finally stopping, the man crying in pain as the air was expunged from his lungs. His subordinates ended up either in the same condition or knocked out cold. Wheezing for air the fat noble looked up shakily to the approaching boy and his monster.

"W-What are you? Who are you? From what noble family are you from?" Chulenne asked trembling.

"None. I'm no noble, I'm a Duelist!" Ryoga declared proudly.

Jessica's eyes widened. "Duelist?" She whispered, her eyes fully locked onto Ryoga's stance and the tool on his arm. _"It couldn't be…"_

The corrupt tax collector growled and shakily pushed himself up. "Call yourself whatever you want! You won't get out of this alive!" Chulenne shouted as he picked up his staff and aimed it at Ryoga. Sharktopus moved between the two to protect its' master, but then a large explosion blew apart the noble's staff and knocked him down once more.

"Don't forget I'm still here," Louise stepped beside Ryoga. "Hope you don't mind, but I have to make a point myself after all."

The ocean-eyed teen chuckled and waved his arm towards Chulenne. "By all means."

Louise smiled and stalked towards the tax collector, who now panicked and tried to flee. It took one swing of Louise's wand to cause another explosion and trip him up. Turning on his back the man trembled as Louise stood above him, her wands' tip pushing right into his stubby nose.

"Right now you have a choice. Leave this place and never return, or deal with me and my familiar! Decide carefully or else you'll regret it!"

Despite his fear Chulenne's pride refused to back down. "Y-You stupid bitch! You're a fallen noble aren't you, same with that boy! You think you can hide and not pay for attacking me! The palace will-"

Louise took out the permit she got from Henrietta and thrust it in Chulenne's face.

"Who do you think you're calling a fallen noble!?"

"H-H-Her Majesty's permit?" Chulenne muttered weakly.

"I am under the orders of Her Majesty, Princess Henrietta, and am the third daughter of an esteemed family lineage that boasts of a righteous history. I have no name to tell some petty official like you," Louise declared. The full weight of who they were dealing with struck Chulenne and his men as they fell to their knees and bowed their heads.

"I-I'm very sorry! P-Please forgive me!" Chulenne began begging. Rummaging through his clothes he pulled out a large sack of coins. He urged his men to do the same, which they quickly did without hesitation. "Please, take these and ignore what has happened! I beg you!"

Louise huffed and prepared to speak only to pause when Ryoga leaned next to her and whispered something in her ear. Her eyes widened briefly before she smiled and nodded. "Very well, I will graciously accept your offer."

"R-Really?" Chulenne asked hesitantly. Louise nodded again making him smile. "Oh thank you. Thank you so very-"

" _I_ on the other hand…" Ryoga snapped his fingers. Chulenne and his men didn't have time to react as they was grabbed and lifted into the air again by Sharktopus. "Am placing you under arrest by the authority of Her Majesty, Princess Henrietta."

Cat Shark flew up to the men and waved goodbye as Ryoga snapped his fingers once more. Sharktopus roared and swung its' hostages in a circle screaming before slamming them head first onto the cold wooden floor, this time knocking them all out of consciousness.

"Sleep on that for a while."

"Mrrow!"

* * *

Shortly after tying up Chulenne and his lackeys, Ryoga and Louise found themselves surrounded by the everyone of the Charming Fairies' Inn, who were staring at them with a wide-eyed silence.

"So…" Jessica broke the silence as she walked forward, the other girls parting to let her through. She stopped in front of Ryoga and gave a stern glare. "'Ryoga' huh? Anything _else_ you want to tell us?"

The question caused Ryoga and Louise to blanch. It suddenly occurred to them that during all the commotion they had said each other's real names.

Oops.

Sighing in defeat Ryoga scratched the back of his head as Cat Shark floated beside him. "Yeah…I guess so. Let me reintroduce myself. Name's Kamishiro Ryoga, and this is Louise, my 'master'," Louise looked down nervously. "We were instructed by Henrietta to find whoever was abusing their noble status on the commoners. The story Scarron told you guys was made up in order to hide our identities. But even then we didn't think it would turn out like this."

"We never meant to deceive anyone or put you in danger. Please forgive us!" Louise apologized as she gave a heavy bow.

The girls of the inn looked at each other for a moment not saying anything. A second later they broke out into loud applause and cheers as they swarmed the duo excitedly.

"That's amazing Louise!"

"You're working for Princess Henrietta? That's so cool!"

"I can't believe you stood up to that sketchy creep! That was awesome!"

"You too Sir Ryoga! That was so cool how you summoned that monster!"

"You looked so brave and handsome while doing it! It was like watching a hero!"

"And this little guy is so cute! I can't believe you have a pet like this!"

The girls continued to shout words of praise and awe while Ryoga and Louise stood stunned. Clearly neither expected such a reaction. Cat Shark of course enjoyed the attention as it rolled upside down in the air to be pet.

"Sheesh, I knew you two were hiding something, but this?" Jessica gave a bright smile. "Man, you two are one of a kind aren't you?"

"Y-You're not mad?" Louise asked.

"Oh sweetie, why would we be mad? It was obvious from the start you were a noble," Scarron said innocently. Louise felt like a sword stabbed through her, dumbfounded as to how he could have known. As if reading her thoughts Scarron wagged a finger and smiled. "It was completely obvious from that attitude of yours. Just how many years do you think we've been running this place? My eye for discerning people is top class."

Louise hung her head disheartened. So from the start hiding was pointless? She went through so much trouble because of it.

"Why didn't you say anything if you knew then?" Ryoga asked.

"Remember when I first brought you both in?" Scarron reminded. "You asked me to hide your real names because of circumstances, and here at the Charming Fairies' Inn there isn't a single girl who would expose a co-worker's past secrets. Right everyone?"

"Yes! Mi Mademoiselle!" The fairies declared in sync.

"You guys…" Ryoga couldn't help but smile. It continued to amaze him how many people in this world were so accepting of him and Louise, despite the problems they caused.

"Hey Louise, I think you won our bet," Jessica called out to the pinkette, motioning to the bags of money dropped from Chulenne and his men. "No need to count them all right?"

"Eh?" Louise blinked confused. "B-But that was just handed over for bribery. It's not a real tip."

Jessica wagged her finger. "Last I checked he handed it all of his own free will. And in my book that counts as a tip. Right papa?"

"Oui!" Scarron winked and lifted Louise's hand into the air. "It's official! The winner of the tip race! Louise-chan!"

Applause resounded throughout the inn. Louise looked speechless by the news before breaking into a warm laugh, her eyes watering ever so lightly. Even Ryoga clapped for her with a sincere smile.

"You deserve a reward too you know," Jessica said to the Duelist.

"I don't need anything. I just did what I had too to protect Louise and the inn," Ryoga said sincerely.

"Well aren't you the noble one?" Jessica jested. She then grabbed Ryoga by his collar and tugged him forward so that they were face to face, a huge grin on her lips. "But who said you had a choice?"

Before he could react Ryoga felt a soft and warm pair of lips press against his cheek and froze from the contact. Jessica pulled back a moment later with a loud smack and giggled at seeing the boy turn beat red and at a loss of words. Oh yeah, she still had it. Even if she had lost the bet to Louise it didn't mean she was going to let Ryoga go that easily.

After all, where else was she going to find such a cute little brother to tease?

* * *

The following day was filled with celebration. The inn opened its' doors happily and customers were given huge discounts and free drinks, bringing even more business than ever before. While this went on Chulenne and his men were kept in the basement under the careful watch of Sharktopus and Cat Shark, who were instructed to immediately knock out the noble and his men if any of them woke up. Cat Shark was even given Derflinger to perform the task with.

Despite the celebration, Louise was oddly not present for it. She said she was tired and simply wanted to rest that day, so Ryoga decided to let her be. It may have been a bit disappointing seeing as this would be their last day at the inn before delivering the corrupt tax collector to Henrietta, but it was her choice.

Night eventually approached with Ryoga finishing his work and returning to his and Louise's room. While walking down the halls the former king's mind went into deep thought. This entire event was one hell of an adventure that had given him a lot of time to think things over. Specifically in regards to the subject of Rio.

Originally he thought it was when Louise asked about Rio that his mind locked onto the memories of his sister, but after thinking it over Ryoga realized that he had actually been this way ever since he showed the Absolute Zero card to Tabitha. He tried to ignore it at first, but every time something happened he was just reminded of another way it related to something between him and his sibling. It was even the real reason he gave Louise that name as a disguise. Only when Louise asked who Rio was did he realize what he was doing and how engulfed in the memories he was getting.

He already knew he shouldn't be dwelling on the past, but the recent reminder of his sister alongside the still fresh reveal of the Black Hole card only continued to make him do so. And not just of her, but of the others back in his world. He kept wondering how things were back in Heartland City, and how much had changed since his latest death.

Was Yuma handling himself okay? Was he still trying to be a Duel Champion? Did he finally notice Kotori's feelings for him? What about Astral? Did the spirit fix the damages done to the worlds? Was he still interacting with Yuma? Did they managed to bring Kaito and everyone else back to life? Was there finally peace between the worlds?

It was only now after everything was settled, that Ryoga finally realized why he kept going back to these thoughts and obsessing over them.

He was homesick.

He missed Heartland City. He missed the pointless school days, the bright lights and colors, the stupid scenarios he was constantly dragged into, and of course real Dueling. But most of all he missed everyone. He missed Yuma and Astral. He missed Kotori. He missed that cocky bastard Katio. He missed the seven emperors, except for maybe Vector.

Hell he fucking missed IV. IV of all people!

He just missed them all.

He just…he missed his family.

That's the real reason why he obsessed with knowing how the Black Hole card arrived in this world. Why he was constantly thinking about his sister and had gotten so depressed when Louise brought the subject up. Why he allowed it to affect him so much. And now that he realized it, he realized that Jessica was right all along and that he was acting stupid.

He missed his family sure, and he especially missed Rio, but even if she and his other friend's weren't around that didn't mean the bond built between them didn't remain. They would always be with him even in this world, and it was his interactions with Jessica, Scarron, and the girls of the Charming Fairies Inn, and watching them all be a family that reminded him of this fact.

It also served to remind him that he didn't just have those bonds either. He had new bonds with people of this world. Louise, Siesta, Katie, even Tabitha was growing a spot now with how much time they spent. They weren't the family he had in Heartland, and they never would be, but they were still people he trusted and cared for just like how Scarron and Jessica cared for the other girls, and because of that he knew he wasn't alone anymore.

Rather…he was never alone to begin with.

"Wonder what you'd think of me right now Yuma," Ryoga closed his eyes and gave a light laugh, feeling like a great weight was lifted off his body. Spotting the attic floorboard he pushed it open and stepped inside.

Instantly he noticed something different. The room looked to have been swept clean, and pretty well seeing as not a speck of dust fluttered about. The piled-up junk which had been neatly arranged to give more room was now all in one spot, while the room had been adjusted so it actually looked like someone could possibly live there.

"There you are. I've been waiting all day."

Ryoga looked over to the voice, and upon doing so his eyes went so wide they seemed ready to bulge from their sockets,

A table was set up in the room with two chairs adorning it. Food and wine lined up the top alongside a candle that illuminated the room. But it was the figure the light shined on that truly stood out.

Louise sat on one of the chairs, her legs crossed and hair done in a barrette that showed off the entirety of her face. What she wore however was not her normal sleepwear, and could only be identified as the "Charming Fairies Bustier". The black bustier fitted her perfectly, making her body lines far more pronounced than the standard uniform of the inn. The line of the center of the bustier became a mesh along her upper body, allowing her white skin to peak through, while the considerably short-lengthened pannier was overturned around her waist at an apologetic level.

Ryoga couldn't create cohesive words. He was too busy gaping at what he was seeing.

"How long do you intend to put on that stupid expression?" Louise said in an awkward tone.

"What…is all this?" Ryoga asked, finally able to find his voice again.

"I made this. Jessica helped teach me," Louise admitted embarrassed.

"I don't mean the set up…well okay I guess I do. But I mean what is… _this_?" Ryoga threw his hands out for emphasis.

Louise's cheeks dusted red. "W-Well I…I w-wanted to…apologize," she stuttered as she began playing with the hem of her outfit nervously. "I…I ended up bringing so many problems to us because of my pride and…and I screwed up because of it. You were only trying to help but I kept shoving it back in your face. And then when I brought up your sister you must have…" Louise paused to take a deep breath. "I…I made all of this as a way of apologizing. And to ask if you…if you'd…"

Louise looked unable to finish the sentence but Ryoga had a good idea what she was asking. His expression softened as he walked over and placed a hand on the pinkette's shoulder.

"I forgive you."

Louise's breath hitched. Her hair shadowed her eyes as she lowered her head and began trembling. Ryoga moved his hand to her head and rubbed it gently, which she lightly nuzzled against. They stayed like this for a good minute or two, the only sounds being soft hiccups and sniffling from the pink-haired noble, before she collected herself and wiped her tears.

"W-Well…what are you waiting for? This food won't eat itself," Louise looked back up, eyes red and a happy smile across her lips.

"Heh, right," Ryoga smiled back and took the other seat across from her.

"H-How do I look by the way?" Louise asked, her cheeks rosy from more than just tears now.

Ryoga blinked, now feeling like a spotlight was on him. "Uh…well I mean, can I ask why you're wearing that? That is what I think it is, right? You know you'll have to give it back tomorrow."

"I know. But I…" Louise turned redder. "I wanted only you to see it," this time Ryoga was the one who became red, though only slightly. "S-So…how do I look?"

The former king wished he could disappear right now, but since that wasn't likely to happen he decided to truly look over the noble's appearance. Obviously the outfit she wore was designed to attract people's attention and make them like her, but he didn't feel anything like that. It wasn't that she didn't look… _attractive_ he supposed, but he didn't feel any magical reasoning to it. Maybe the power of Chaos was helping him resist or something.

Seeing Louise grow more uncomfortable from the silence he figured he should give an answer. "You look…well…" Ryoga scratched the side of his cheek trying to think of the best word to use. "You look…really good."

A simple answer for most was more than enough for Louise who shyly smiled and felt her heart skip a beat. The feeling faded when a thought crossed her mind making her worried again. "Ryoga…I know you forgave me and all, but I still want to apologize for before. With bringing up your sister I mean."

Ryoga twitched but quickly relaxed, having already settled the issue moments ago. "It's fine. You didn't know after all."

"That doesn't make it right. Even if I didn't know I shouldn't have intruded upon such a painful memory. I couldn't even begin to imagine losing my own sisters, and for you to have gone through that is just-Ow!" Louise yelped at the feeling of a finger lightly flicking her forehead.

"Sheesh, you can really be as bad as him sometimes," Ryoga joked. "Like I said, it's fine now. It was long ago and I've gotten over it. If anything I should be the one apologizing, I acted unfair to you and pushed you aside just because I was too lost in the memories of Rio. You were struggling and needed someone to extend a helping hand, but instead I purposefully ignored you. I was a total ass."

"Yeah, you were," Louise huffed, though both of them knew she wasn't too serious about it, as evidenced by her smile. "I guess we both messed up, huh?"

"Heh, that goes without saying," Ryoga chuckled. "But we also learned something. You got to walk in the shoes of a commoner and experience what it means to endure and work for a living. As for me…" his hand caressed the shark tooth-shaped pendant around his neck. "I've remembered that even if Rio isn't here with me physically, she'll always be where I need her most."

Hearing that struck a chord in Louise. The amount of love and care Ryoga spoke with for his sister reminded her of all the times she spoke of Cattleya to other people. It brought warmth to her bosom that made the pink noble smile gently.

"Ryoga…could you tell me about Rio?" Louise asked. Ryoga looked surprised for a moment before giving his own smile and nodding.

"Sure, and in exchange you can tell me about these sisters of yours."

The rest of the night was spent talking about the unforgettable stories and memories regarding their sisters, as a new bond formed between the Zero and former Barian.

* * *

Inside a dark prison cell moonlight shone from a single barred window upon the form of Fouquet, who laid on a shoddy looking bed in agony. Having finally been captured the thief was to be charged for her actions in court the following week. Given the amount of shame she brought to nobles all over the country, she would most likely either be exiled or sentenced to death. Either way she wouldn't be in Tristain much longer.

Not that it mattered to her as the green-haired woman's focus was on enduring the pain received from the wound Ryoga carved into her skin. It still burned with a wrenching fury that left her in a weakened state.

"Damn you boy," Fouquet cursed as she clutched the bandages covering her body. She wanted to hate him. By Brimir she wanted to hate that boy so much for her being captured and leaving her in such pain, but she could only blame herself for underestimating him despite seeing his power at the academy.

At the same time a small part of her couldn't help but think back to the moment where they confronted each other at the end. She didn't understand why she spoke with him or revealed as much to him as she did. Why she said she would have told him her story had things been different. It made no logical sense since they barely knew each other.

Yet there was something about the figure named Kamishiro Ryoga that called out to her. It wasn't just the way he defended her on the wagon or the way he spoke, but something about the look in his eyes. They reminded her so much of-

"You look terrible."

Fouquet's head snapped to the cell door in alert as she spotted a black cloaked figure standing in the shadows. She didn't even hear anyone approach. She must have been in more pain than she realized if her senses were this diluted.

"Heh, it's a bit late for visiting hours, isn't it?" Fouquet joked despite her condition. The figure only gave a cold stare in response, giving the thief a chance to look over the person. Outside the cloak a white mask covered the figure's face, though from the body shape and size it was probably a man. Judging from the long wand visible beneath his cloak, he was definitely a mage.

Assassin. That was the immediate conclusion in Fouquet's mind. Some nobles she'd stolen from must have thought sentencing her in court was too much of a hassle and decided to hire someone to kill her. Heck, some of the items she'd stolen were likely stolen goods to begin with, and the families couldn't allow such truths to surface.

"Well as you can see this isn't exactly the best place to entertain someone. But somehow I don't think you're here for a cup of tea, right?" Fouquet accused, readying herself for whatever may come.

"Are you Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt?"

The figure's voice was strong and youthful, and very much non-joking.

"Not sure who gave me the nickname, but yes, I am Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt," the thief replied as she struggled to push herself up.

"Easy. I am not here to harm you. I actually have something that I would like to tell you."

"Hah. What would that be?" Fouquet asked rather surprised. "Don't tell me that you're going to speak on my defense. Good luck with that."

"I'd be more than happy to speak in your defense, my dear Matilda de Sachsen-Gotha."

Fouquet's face became completely pale. That…wasn't possible. That was a name long forgotten, rather _forced_ to be forgotten. Nobody should be alive that should know that name. So how?

"Who are you?" Fouquet demanded, her eyes narrowed with suspicion and fear.

"My name is unimportant right now. All you need to know is I have come here to ask a question," the man said as he approached the cell doors. "Matilda, do you wish to serve Albion again?"

Fouquet lost her cool in an instant. "Never! I will never serve those who murdered my father and annexed my home!"

"Don't be mistaken," the man raised both hands to show no hostility. "No one is asking you to serve the Albion royal family. They're going to be overthrown soon."

That made the green-haired woman pause. "What do you mean?"

"A revolution is taking place. We're going to overthrow the weak and powerless Imperial family, and succeeding them will be more… _capable_ nobles like ourselves."

"But aren't you part of Tristain's nobility?" Fouquet asked confused. The man's accent sounded to be Tristanian enough. "What has Albion's revolution got to do with you?"

"The group I am associated with is a consortium of nobles without borders. We all share a fear about Halkeginia's future, and wish to unify Halkeginia so we can regain the holy land that founder Brimir once set foot on."

Fouquet released a disbelieving scoff. "Please stop talking nonsense. If that's the case why does your 'consortium of nobles without borders' need me? I'm just a prisoner."

"We need skilled magicians now more than ever. And you happen to be very skilled," the man extended an arm through the cell bars. "Will you lend us your help, Fouquet the Crumbing Dirt?"

Fouquet laughed bitterly and leaned back against her cell walls. "Please stop dreaming. You wish to unify Halkeginia? The Kingdoms of Tristain, Germania, Albion, Gallia, and a number of smaller kingdoms which are constantly at war with each other? Unifying them would be like a midsummer night's dream," she gave another laugh. "Getting the holy land back…how would you fight against the all-powerful elves?"

For hundreds of years the holy land had been in the possession of the elves living east of Halkeginia. Countless crusades had been attempted to get back the holy land, but each failed as miserably as the last. The elves, distinguished by their distinctly pointed ears and unique culture, had long life spans and were highly proficient with magic. As such they were highly effective warriors and defeating them would be nothing short of an uphill battle.

"I have no love for nobles and I have no interest in Halkeginia. As for regaining the holy land, the elves can stay there for all I care!" Fouquet shouted, only to cringe and grasp her shoulder. She could feel warmth flow through the bandages. She probably reopened the wound again. "Wonderful."

The man in the black cloak watched for a moment before drawing out his wand. "I was told to give you a choice, Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt. Now I am giving it," he pointed the wand towards her. "Either you become our comrade or…"

"Or I would immediately perish here? Am I correct?" Fouquet finished staring at the wand.

"That is correct. Since you already know our secret, you cannot be allowed to live."

Fouquet let out a bitter and defeated laugh. "You nobles are a really conceited bunch. You'll never consider other people's feelings. To put it nicely, you're inviting me to join you, but in reality there was never a choice was there?"

The man gave his own chuckle. "Unfortunately correct."

Fouquet laid down on the bed and stared up at the ceiling. "Good luck with that then. Even if, and that's a big _if_ , I wanted to accept, I'm not going anywhere with this injury," she motioned to the bandages covering her body.

The man stayed silent for a moment before nodding. "I see. It's a good thing we prepared for such an outcome," he said lowering his wand. He then reached into his cloak and pulled out something that made Fouquet gasp and immediately sit back up in alarm.

Resting between the cloaked man's fingers was a card that was glowing with a dark purple aura. But not just any card. It was a card exactly like the ones held by Kamishiro Ryoga.

A Duel Monsters card.

"How…" Fouquet uttered.

"What say you now? Will you join us?"

Fouquet didn't respond at first, her gaze fixed on the card. She then began to shake before her lips broke apart into an open laugh.

"Hahaha! Well now, you certainly know how to get a girl's attention," Fouquet brushed her hair aside and held her head with a grin. "Fine then. Let me be a part of your consortium. I hate people who do not know how to give orders anyways."

"Let's go then," the man pointed the card to the cell door, which began to glow in a similar aura as the card.

"Before we do, might I know the name of your organization?" Fouquet asked seductively.

"Depends. Do you really wish to join us, or are you just toying with me?"

"I just want to know the name of the organization I will work for from now on."

The cell bars dissolved into dust, allowing the man to step inside and reveal his dark smirk in the moonlight.

"The Reconquista."

* * *

 **So apparently my writing juices went into overdrive or something. Maybe they got hooked on "Write me High" because I was writing nonstop for this whole time and was able to get THIS out this quickly. Sure I had to do a lot of rearranging, rewriting, and my beta reader who is a friend helped me fix and add things but just...wow...I'm impressed with MYSELF of all people.**

 **But yeah, new chapter. And this fast. Again I promise nothing for all my chapters but I am happy I got this to you guys this quickly. And as you can see in this chapter, many things happen. Ryoga got to have an internal look at himself and was feeling homesickness, something he never truly grasped until now. Louise got to learn about his sister and what it means to actually struggle and work for a change, and now has bonded with Ryoga in another way they relate to each other, their sisters. And as for the ending...seems things are happening in the background aren't they? *grins evilly***

 **Also I'm sure you guys noticed some distinct new scenes and changes from the anime...wellllll...that's because I FOUND THE LIGHT NOVELS FOR MATERIAL BABY *BEGINS CELEBRATING WITH CAT SHARK!***

 **That's right! I got the light novels as material now, meaning my story is now going to grow even further than before! Now because I've already been using the format of the regular Anime version, I'll probably still stick with the timeline events up to a certain point. Probably either the end of Season 1, or a little after Season 2. But with the new light novel material, I promise things are going to change FAR more than I had planned. And I. CANT. WAIT!**

 **Also even better news! I HAVE OVER 100 FOLLOWERS! HAHAHAHAHAHA! I'M SO HAPPY LIKE YOU WOULDN'T BELIEVE!**

 **SPECIAL THANKS TO FRANK HORRIGAN FOR BEING MY 100TH FOLLOWER! AND THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR BEING SO SUPPORTIVE!**

 **Now onto the reviews!**

 **ZFlame1: Funny thing, I had to have a conversation with my friend regarding this. We came to this conclusion - Return from a different dimension is a card that returns any of your monsters back to the field for 1 turn. In theory this means you are returning something that was lost in the duel and banished back to YOU. Ryoga could not use this card to return to his world because what the card would do is bring back anything that was taken from the dimension he's in now, aka Zero no Tsukaima, and bring back to the Zero no Tsukaima world.**

 **So no, he could not use it to bring himself back. Sorry to disappoint.**

 **gold crown dragon: Yup. Like I said, last chapter was a cool down. This one kind of was but still had stuff going on, especially with the end. Hope you liked it.**

 **ivan0061509: Thank you :D**

 **Catboy41: Can't say who will be summoned due to spoilers. But trust me when I say I think you and everyone else will enjoy my selections. Least I hope so. But still thank you for the support and enjoying my story.**

 **Also the idea for Arc-V Kaito...tempting...very VERY tempting. BUT I do have Kaito planned for a different world (see chapter 16 bottom previews) I'll have to think on that.**

 **duskrider: Glad you're enjoying the ride. As for the world gate spell, who can say. That's still a LONG ways away, but is something to consider, so keep your chin up.**

 **xXx: XANDER CAGE? IS THAT YOU? hahaha kidding. In seriousness, thank you for the support. I wish I also had more reviews and other people follow or favorting, but I've known since the start that crossing these two worlds wouldn't get much attention. The fact that you think I've blended them so well together and made this story work though makes me happy and wanting to keep going, and I definitely will!**

 **In regards to your comment on Derflinger, I will admit I probably should have been a bit clearer, and I apologize for that. But in retrospect, when Ryoga and Louise are in their room together, that usually means Cat Shark and Derflinger will be there as well unless specified otherwise. I'll be more careful for the future though.**

 **Omega Porunga: SURPRISE! UPDATED SOON! haha. But yeah, I'm glad you enjoyed what I put down. And while the lax period will still be on for a little while, as you see things will start picking up VERY quickly, so keep your eyes open.**

 **Frank Horrigan: Hahaha, I see. Well thank you for the support and hope you enjoyed the chapter.**

 **Guest: Thank you for the support dude. I however do have something to mention. First don't worry about me not knowing Ryoga's cards. Since I'm using him at the end of ZEXAL I know his whole deck and strategy, so no need for worry. As for your advice, my friends believe you were trying to be a troll, but I believe you are sincerely trying to help. However I think you misunderstood something regarding what's going on.**

 **Right now Ryoga's deck is staying towards his human deck before he became a Barian. Meaning I will be sticking mostly with the cards he has owned and used. This doesn't mean new cards won't show up, cause they will, but adding random cards like Soul Charge without good reasoning wouldn't make sense storywise. I may involve it somewhere down the line, but not unless I come up with a good reason. Sorry.**

 **In regards to Instant Fusion, while designed and used in meta gaming for Xyz Summoning, uses Fusion Monsters. Ryoga is a straight full Xyz User. He doesn't use Fusion. Therefore adding that single card for that single purpose would not make any logical sense or reasoning.**

 **As for the third combo, there are three big logical flaws. One: Ryoga uses sea creatures, not really amphibians, though I may add them. Two: Mochi Toad (Toadally Awesome) is not exactly something in Ryoga's style of Dueling. Three: Mochi Toad is "Frog" support. Ryoga is a "Shark" user. Kind of a big difference in animals. And final flaw: 47 is a Numbers. Because of what happened in the time Ryoga was taken, he doesn't have the Numbers. Astral has them all. Meaning no 47 is appearing.**

 **I do appreciate your help and advice, but I believe you were doing so from a Metagaming perspective. This story doesn't follow that style of Dueling. I apologize, but I do appreciate you trying to help.**

 **Well that's everything everyone. Hope you enjoyed this chapter. I can't say when the next one will come out since...well I did go insanely fast with this one. But I hope I'll be just as efficient. And if not, I at least hope I'll be able to make you all enjoy it when it DOES show.**

 **Until next time! *Cat Shark waves goodbye***

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	22. Unknown Feelings

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works.

* * *

It was early the next day, just as dawn was starting to rise, when Scarron, Jessica, and all the girls of the Charming Fairies' Inn gathered outside the inn to say their goodbyes to Ryoga and Louise. The two were dressed back in their regular outfits and already packed up to head to the palace and deliver Chulenne and his men, who were still unconscious thanks to the ever-watchful eye of Cat Shark, to Henrietta before returning to the academy.

"Thank you again for taking care of us," Louise said bowing to the inn occupants.

"Oh Louise-chan sweetie no need for thanks," Scarron cooed as he moved his body around exaggeratedly. "We were more than happy to have you both. Things just won't be the same without either of you here."

"Yeah, now you'll actually be able to go a day without someone getting injured," Ryoga said with a sideward glance to Louise.

"Hey!" The pinkette shouted, her face becoming flustered from the teasing. Everyone just laughed at the reaction turning her even redder.

"Ahhh, I really will miss you both," Scarron gave a warm smile. "Be sure to come back and visit us once in a while okay? You two will always be welcome at the Charming Fairies' Inn."

"Just make sure you're prepared to work when you do," Jessica added with a wagging finger. "We don't allow freebies after all."

Ryoga smirked and shrugged. "Heh, not a problem with me. Lousie on the other hand-"

"Forget it! I refuse to wear one of those outfits ever again! The next time I come here it will be as a customer!" Louise exclaimed. The thought of putting on another uniform and being forced to serve more perverts made her ill. She'd rather die than ever go through that again.

"Awww, but you were so cute in it Louise-chan!" Scarron pouted. Around him the rest of the girls all nodded in agreement. "Plus, I think you've started to make quite the impression on the other customers. They've even started requesting you personally," Louise blanched hearing this while Ryoga stifled a snigger. "Ryoga-kun even said there was a word for it. Sundari, right?"

"Tsundere," the purple teen corrected. Louise gave him a curious look. "Don't ask," he quickly told her. Last thing he needed was for her to get mad this early in the morning.

"Hey Louise," Jessica called out. "You better take care of Ryoga you hear? Otherwise the next time you guys are around I'll definitely steal him from you."

"Huh!?" Louise nearly shouted confused. "B-But I won our bet!"

"True, but you didn't think I'd let him go that easily did you? After all, where else am I going to find such a cute little brother to have around?" Jessica sent a playful wink to Ryoga. "I did promise to show you a fun time after all," she said with a sensual voice. The purple-clad teen just looked away annoyed and embarrassed, though that didn't prevent her from noticing the blood flowing into his cheeks. She giggled at the sight.

"Forget it!" Louise fumed. "You can't have him! He's m-"

She cut herself off, eyes going wide with surprise. He's…what?

What was she about to say?

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark made itself known as it flew out of the inn entrance, dragging with it one of Chulenne's men who was bound in rope. The spirit dumped the man onto a horse-drawn wagon that Scarron had procured for the group, where the corrupt tax collector and his other associates lay, all still drifting in the land of pain-induced sleep. "Mrrow mrrow!" The spirit waved its' fins around to indicate being done with the task.

"Well, that's our cue," Ryoga noted and grabbed his bag. "We best be heading off. Got a long day ahead of us and all."

Jessica dropped the teasing look and nodded. "You two take care of yourselves, you hear?"

"And remember, the doors of the Charming Fairies' Inn will always be opened to you!" Scarron declared while giving another of his overly exaggerated poses. "Right, fairies!?"

"Yes! Mi Mademoiselle!"

"Mmmm, tres bien!"

Ryoga and Louise both gave light smiles. Regardless of the troubles they endured they really did enjoy their time here, and would miss being around these kind-hearted people, weird and eccentric personalities aside. They would definitely have to return one day.

"Hey, Ryoga?" Jessica called out to the Duelist just as he turned to walk away.

"Yeah?"

The innkeeper's daughter opened her mouth to say something, but paused, and after a moment she just smiled and shook her head. "Nothing. Just make sure you don't forget about me. I won't forgive you if you do," she bent over slightly as she said this, making sure to hug her arms beneath her impressive bust in a seductive manner.

Louise looked like a volcano about to erupt while Ryoga became red-faced and turned his attention elsewhere. "Somehow, I don't think I'll be able to forget someone like you even if I try."

The two then got on the wagon with Cat Shark, who seated itself happily between them. Ryoga grabbed the reigns and with a quick snap got the horses moving, slowly pulling the wagon away from the inn and towards the direction of the castle.

"Goodbye Miss Louise!"

"Take care Sir Ryoga!"

"Bye bye little kitty!"

The girls of the inn shouted and waved their farewells to the group, who looked back and returned the action. Jessica did the same at first, but once the wagon was a good distance away her smile dropped a little and shifted into a frown. Her eyes became filled with a thoughtful appearance as they watched the form of Ryoga slowly shrinking.

"Something troubling you sweetie?" Scarron asked, noticing his daughter's look.

"Hey papa…" Jessica began slowly. "Ryoga called himself a 'Duelist', right?"

Scarron's expression became ever so slightly serious. "Hmmm. So, you noticed that as well?"

Jessica nodded. "That thing he had on his arm…and the way he summoned that creature…You don't think…?" She looked up to her father wondering.

"Who can say?" Scarron looked back to the distancing wagon and smiled. "Whether it is or isn't, what I do know is that young man has quite a lot of spirit in him. Same goes for Louise-chan too. We may not know the whole story, but I believe they both are very special and have the potential to go far in life," the man's serious tone disappeared as he let out an exotic moan and wiggled his body excitedly. "It makes me hope we'll see them again real soon!"

Jessica chuckled as her smile returned. "I hope the same," she watched the wagon cross the road and disappear out of sight. Even with it gone now the raven-haired beauty couldn't help but feel a rush of adrenaline course through her body. _"A Duelist, huh?"_

Such an interesting little brother indeed.

* * *

With the official permit given by Henrietta, the palace guards made quick work of arresting Chulenne and his men. Ryoga and Louise were then escorted back to the throne room where they explained the situation to the princess, revealing everything that happened regarding the tax collector's actions. To say she was disappointed in the noble would be downplaying it greatly. Even Ryoga had to admit that the princess had quite the stern look when she was mad.

Henrietta then thanked the two for their services, offering once again to reward them both. While Ryoga politely declined, which was the equivalent of him saying a flat out "no thanks", Louise surprisingly refused as well. She said serving her princess was more than reward enough, and that she would be more than willing to do it again if ever called upon. While Henrietta accepted the answer, Ryoga felt there was another reason Louise was doing this. What that could be he had no idea, but he didn't ask since it wasn't a concern of his, and so long as his "master" was sure about it then he had no issues.

It was now twenty past ten according to Ryoga's D-Gazer when the group finally arrived back at the academy. Riding through the main gates on a shared horse, the water user stretched out his stiff muscles and groaned aloud. "Finally. I keep forgetting how much of a pain horse riding is."

"Probably because you spend so much time on those flying fishes of yours," Louise said looking back at him.

"Because it's much faster and smoother," Ryoga countered.

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark agreed, spinning in the air as if to prove the point.

Louise rolled her eyes and looked forward, only to be surprised when she spotted a stagecoach on the main road leading to the central tower. Standing next to it were Kirche and Tabitha, alongside Kirche's familiar, Flame, who just seemed to finish securing some luggage on the back of the coach before they noticed her approaching.

"Oh Louise!" Kirche called out surprised. "I was wondering where you disappeared too. Looks like the rumors of you being kicked out were false after all."

"How unfortunate for you," Louise deadpanned.

"Can we not start fighting five minutes after getting back?" Ryoga suggested, hoping to avoid a conflict this early.

Kirche's eyes lit up at hearing the boy's voice. She looked over Louise's shoulder and spotted him sitting behind the pinkette. "Ah, darling!" The Germanian raced up to the teen, who immediately cursed and jumped off the horse, putting it between himself and the dangerous female. "I finally get to see you after so long only to have to be torn away again! Fate really is a fickle tool, isn't it?" Kirche said as she chased the boy around the horse. Cat Shark's head followed the two playfully while Louise's eye twitched and her grip on the reigns tightened.

"I'll consider it a blessing! And what do you mean you're leaving?" Ryoga asked hoping to distract Kirche. It seemed to work as she stopped and nodded.

"I'm going to be visiting Tabitha's home for a while," she explained throwing a thumb in the direction of the carriage. "The headmaster's already given us permission to leave so we don't have to worry about absences or anything. Not sure when we'll be back but I figured it'd be a nice chance for us to spend some quality time together."

"Anything to keep you away from me is more than welcome," Ryoga stated.

"So cruel darling. Even a maiden like me can be hurt you know," Kirche pouted, though anyone could tell it was fake.

"You're anything but a maiden," Ryoga felt a tap on his shoulder and spun around to see Tabitha standing behind him. "Oh, hey Tabitha. You're going home I hear?" He asked. The reticent girl nodded in reply. "I see. Make sure you have a good time then. And don't let Kirche drag you into any unwanted trouble," Tabitha nodded again.

"So cruel darling!"

The duo ignored Kirche's outburst as Tabitha reached into her cloak and withdrew a book before holding it to Ryoga. "Study."

The former king immediately got the picture and chuckled. "Right. You do the same," he said taking the book.

Tabitha nodded and walked back towards the coach. She paused halfway and looked up to the sky. "She wants to say bye too."

"Huh?"

The sound of flapping was his only warning, not that it helped in the slightest. Next thing Ryoga knew was a heavy weight falling on his back and a large shadow covering his form. The teen was planted firmly into the ground and pinned there, the sudden pressure and weight making him unable to properly understand what happened, only for a familiar scaled skin to then brush against his cheek.

"Kyuui!" Came the cry of Sylphid, the wind dragon affectionately nuzzling Ryoga like a dog having missed her owner. Though knowing the relationship between them, it was probably more the equivalent of missing the person who gave her free meals.

"Gah, Sylphid!? Will you get off, you too damn heavy!" Ryoga yelled as he struggled to escape the dragon's grip.

"Kyuui!" Sylphid refused and just continued to hold him down and keep nuzzling his cheek. Ryoga loudly groaned in both pain and annoyance. As if he didn't already have back problems from the horse, now he had to deal with this? He _really_ regretted ever handing the flying reptile even a single crumb.

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark suddenly flew over and pushed against the claw holding Ryoga, to no effect. "Mrrow mrrow mrrow!"

"Kyuui?" Sylphid looked at the Xyz spirit curiously. "Kyuui, kyuui," she communicated back.

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark got right up in the dragon's face and shouted back. "Mrrow!"

"Kyuui," Sylphid's emerald eyes almost seemed to narrow. "Kyuui. Kyuui, kyuui!"

"Mrrow mrrow!"

"Kyuui kyuui!"

"Mrrow!"

"Kyuui!"

"Am I actually seeing this?" Kirche asked Louise, both watching the dragon and feline fish argue and glare at each other.

"I don't even know myself," Louise muttered. How had her life come to a point of witnessing such an incomprehensible sight?

A sharp whistle interrupted the fighting causing everyone to look over to Tabitha, who was the source of the noise. The bluenette tapped her staff on the ground once, making Sylphid let out a low whine. Tabitha tapped the staff again. Reluctantly Sylphid raised her foot and walked over to her master, allowing Ryoga to refill his lungs and stop hugging the earth.

"Mrrow mrrow?" Cat Shark quickly knelt at its' master's side and meowed worried.

"I'm fine," Ryoga assured as he got to his feet and cleaned himself off. Looking over to Tabitha and Sylphid he saw the dragon give a single nod to her master and kneel down to allow Flame on her back before taking off to the sky above. "Geeze. She really needs to do something about that lizard."

"Gotcha!" Distracted by the dragon's overly attached nature Kirche used the opportunity to get behind Ryoga and jump on him. Her arms wrapped around his neck, cutting his oxygen supply once more, and pulled him into her large chest as she nuzzled his head affectionately. "Hehe, I'll miss you darling. Make sure you think about me while I'm gone."

"Let go of him Zerbst!" Louise shouted, her rage meter nearly snapping at the sight.

Kirche grinned at her rival before letting go and running over to Tabitha. "We'll see you both when we get back! Bye bye, darling!"

Ryoga just groaned and rubbed his throat as he watched the two girls get into the coach and begin to leave. Looking over to Louise he saw the pinkette send both the coach and him a dangerous glare before huffing and riding the horse to the stables, leaving him alone in the middle of the courtyard.

Maybe staying at the inn would have been better after all.

* * *

Half the day passed as Kirche and Tabitha sat in the carriage. Silence mostly filled the ride as Tabitha spent the time reading a book she had brought while Kirche was starting to feel the boredom set in. Stretching her head out the window to look around she suddenly gasped.

"Tabitha! Check it out!" The redhead pointed excitedly. "Cows! Cows! Look, there's so many of them!" She motioned to both sides of the road. The carriage was passing through a ranch it seemed as cows grazed all around them. "Look at them all! They're so cute grazing like that! Moo, moo moo!"

Kirche giggled and turned to see Tabitha's reaction. Tabitha however didn't seem to care and instead continued reading. Kirche pouted, disappointed at not getting a reaction and plopped back into her seat. Feeling bored once again she stretched both arms out and leaned back to stare at the roof.

"Hey Tabitha, this is supposed to be a long-awaited return home from school. Shouldn't you look a little more cheerful?"

Tabitha said nothing. Kirche sighed and allowed her amber eyes to watch her friend concerned. Earlier this morning when she entered Tabitha's room to hang out, she was shocked to find the bookworm packing her luggage. When asked about it she answered that she had to return home to see her mother. This surprised Kirche since Tabitha never spoke of her family. Heck, she never spoke of anything regarding her personal life. Ever.

Yet while Tabitha seemed as reticent as always, Kirche felt something different in her voice when she mentioned her mother. It was so subtle no normal person would have noticed it, but after spending nearly her entire school life with the socially inapt girl, Kirche became adaptive at picking up on this stuff, and so, concerned for her friend she offered to accompany Tabitha back to her home, who agreed without any resistance.

" _I've been her friend for more than three years, and I still don't know what she's thinking half the time,"_ Kirche thought with a frown. Deciding to try a different approach she tried to spark a conversation. "You know, this is the first time I've learned that your motherland isn't Tristain, but Gallia. That makes you an exchange student like me, right?"

She learned this when Osmomd signed the issue papers allowing her safe passage across the borders. It made sense since Kirche always had a vague suspicion that Tabitha's name was a pseudonym. She never asked about the origin of the blunette's name, but Tabitha was actually quite a common name. It was the kind of name that could be given to toy dolls or pets, and not suitable for nobles. Because of this she always thought that Tabitha was perhaps hiding something, like maybe she belonged to a distinguished family of Tristain. But it appeared she actually belonged to the nobility of the Kingdom of Gallia, which bordered with Germania.

The land of Halkeginia was massive and prominent to the ocean, having a gentle arc shape that formed a giant peninsula around it. Gallia was located in the southeast of the continent, while Germania, Kirche's home country, was in the northeast. Tristain laid between the two, its' size merely a tenth of the territories of the other two countries, making even its' people call their motherland the "small country" in self-ridicule. Meanwhile constantly floating above the ocean and mainland of Halkeginia was the floating continent of Albion. While Albion wasn't directly part of the mainland, the royal family there was still connected to Brimir, and so it was still considered one of the major countries that ruled.

Outside the four major countries there was also the religious country of Romalia, located south of Gallia. It was constantly involved in fighting over the office of the pope, who advocated the beliefs of the Founder Brimir and the gods. Incidentally, Cardinal Mazarini, a member of the royal court of Tristain, was from Romalia. Towards the east of Halkeginia was uncivilized ground, where barbarians and demons lived, and further east still was a large Sahara. There lay the Holy Lands, which was protected and ruled by the Elves, and beyond that was the unknown continent of Rub' al Khali.

This was all basic knowledge to Kirche, but it still made her wonder. "Why did you study abroad?" She asked again hoping to get an answer. Tabitha still refused to reply though and continued to read like always. Kirche frowned at this, actually feeling hurt by her friend's rudeness. She was just trying to-

 _"You're just like him."_

Kirche let out a small gasp. Where did that suddenly come from? She hadn't thought about _that_ particular event for some time. Why was it being remembered now all of a sudden?

She quickly shoved the memory aside and looked back to Tabitha. This time when she did however, she suddenly realized something. The page Tabitha was on…it never changed. Throughout the entire ride she couldn't recall Tabitha turning the page even once. She had just been staring at the same spot the whole time.

She couldn't believe something like that was missed. Considering how fast Tabitha reads a new page should be turning every minute or two. How had she not even noticed?

 _"You're just like him."_

Kirche's heart ached for a moment before she ignored it and considered the information she just learned. After thinking it over she eventually decided to drop her questions. If even someone like Tabitha was this tensed out, then she wouldn't push on the matter. Whatever the reasons were for studying abroad or returning home, she would wait till Tabitha told her about it by herself.

Still, seeing her friend in such a state didn't fit her jaded personality. There had to be something she could do. Considering the options Kirche half-closed her eyes and pursed her lips into a somber smile. "You know…the reason I'm an exchange student is I was kicked out of my former school."

Tabitha's head turned up. Kirche nearly leaped in victory at the action but retained control of herself and looked out the window.

"I ended up causing a lot of trouble back home and got expelled because of it. My parents said I would ruin the family's reputation if I was just loafing around the whole time, so they tried to marry me off to some old geezer. I mean seriously, what were they thinking? The guy was in his fifties or something! And his smell, ugh! Don't get me started on that!"

Kirche continued to rant, letting her frustrations of her family and home situation fly out inside the carriage. Yet Tabitha never once looked back to her book, and instead gave her full attention to the redhead.

 _" I suppose it doesn't matter your reasons,"_ Kirche thought, giving an internal smile to her friend. _"No matter what happens, I will still be here together with you."_

* * *

The next day Ryoga found himself walking around the school courtyard with Cat Shark floating at his side and Derflinger attached on his hip. He seemed to have a particularly annoyed expression plastered on, with his hands shoved in his pockets and a scowl across his face.

"Seriously, what is with her? You'd think after everything with the inn she'd be better now. It's like she's back to square one or something."

The person he was talking about was, of course, Louise. Ever since they returned the pink noble had started acting very peculiar. It was a mix between acting cold and miffed at him one moment, and then being overly controlling and aggressive the next. He couldn't walk around the school anymore without her demanding to know where he would go and for what reason. She also started berating him for the slightest annoyances, like if he was just relaxing during classes or paying attention to something else instead of her. She even tried to strike him a few times for doing so, though his reflexes prevented any success in that regard.

While Ryoga found these antics very annoying and beginning to test his patience, he figured Louise was only like this because of Kirche yesterday, and that eventually it would pass. But then Siesta was brought into the mix. Having been gone for almost two weeks without informing the raven-haired girl as to why had probably made her worried sick, so the former king decided to find her and let her know he was fine, as well as catch up on what's been going on in his absence.

Unfortunately, when Ryoga told Louise about this, her previous temperaments suddenly seemed to multiply by ten. She got intensely angry and started muttering all sorts of weird things about him being manipulated by utters, acting like a dog that chased females, and complaining about how he always spent time with Siesta.

Or at least something to that degree. Frankly it was so rant-filled that he didn't even understand half of it. It didn't change the fact that Louise was insulting one of his friends, which lead to another infamous shouting match between them before Ryoga eventually just stormed off to get away from the pinkette, which was probably for the best since any further and he may have ended up doing something regretful.

"Mrrow mrrow?" Cat Shark nuzzled Ryoga's shoulder worried.

"I'm fine. Just really frustrated right now," the Duelist said. "I mean where did this even come from?"

"Knowing her, it could be anything," Derflinger commented. "Maybe someone insulted her poor attitude, or maybe they commented on her chest size. Or both. Don't know really since I'm a sword and all. You humans have always been confusing to me."

"Yet you possess the talent of insulting us on a whim," Ryoga gave the weapon a deadpanned stare.

"It's part of my natural charm," Derflinger praised.

"Mrrow?" Cat Shark put a fin to its' chin and gave the sword a curious look.

"Wha-what do you mean I don't have charm!? I have charm!"

"Mrrow."

"Don't say that!"

Ryoga ignored the two and kept walking. Whatever Louise's reasons she better be quick to change it. He's made clear plenty of times he wouldn't stand for her attitude, especially when it involved other people he cared for.

"M-Montmorency please, you have it all wrong!" Ryoga suddenly heard to his left. Looking over he saw Guiche and Montmorency, the male blonde looking extremely worried while the female seemed particularly annoyed, similar to how he was right now. "It's just a misunderstanding!"

"I've heard that excuse too many times!" Montmorency yelled angrily.

"B-But I-" Guiche tried to speak only to be cut off.

"Listen well, Guiche. I could honestly care less about you. I only dated you because you begged me too and refused to leave me alone. You were just a way to kill time, nothing else."

Guiche looked like he had been run through by the cruel statement. "M-Montmorency please, just calm down and listen to me. I swear I didn't do anything to Katie. I was just-"

"Katie?" Ryoga stopped walking, his attention now caught. His voice made the two blondes notice him.

"R-Ryoga!" Guiche paled immediately at the sight of the Duelist.

"I heard Katie's name mentioned. What about her?" Ryoga asked. His eyes locked on Guiche with suspicion making the noble step back. Memories of their duel still haunted him even after all this time, and with how close Katie was becoming with the purple-clad boy, it made his fears over the current situation amplify tremendously.

Beside him, Montmorency held similar surprise from Ryoga's sudden appearance, but unlike her ex, instead of feeling fear or worry her mind instead took notice of Guiche's nervousness and Ryoga's interest in the first-year that was brought up. Calculating these two facts together in only a few seconds, Montmorency's eyes narrowed with a wicked gleam and her lips curled into a smile before she quickly hid it.

"Oh, if it isn't the resident familiar of Zero," Montmorency addressed the boy. "Apologies. I'd have taken notice sooner but I've been-" she glared at Guiche. "- _preoccupied_ with current company."

"Montmorency please…" Guiche reached to grab her shoulder. She slapped it away and moved closer to Ryoga.

"That didn't answer my question. What happened with Katie? Is she alright?" The water user asked again.

"Nothing to worry about. Just this idiot over here living up to his title," Montmorency assured. "Actually, your timing is impeccable. I was hoping to speak with you privately later today, but since you're here we can do it now."

"What are y-" Ryoga was cut off when Montmorency suddenly hugged him by the arm tightly. "H-Hey!"

"M-Montmorency!" Guiche gasped shocked.

"Come. We should discuss this somewhere else," Montmorency suggested, making sure to push Ryoga's arm tightly against her chest while sending Guiche a smug smirk. "Somewhere _far_ from here."

"M-Montmorency…"

"Hold on a second! Hey! Let go!" Ryoga protested. He tried pulling away but Montmorency's hold kept firm as she dragged him away from the courtyard. Cat Shark quickly made to follow the two, leaving behind a very heartbroken-looking Guiche.

Watching from a window in the tower above, Louise's body shook as her hands tightened into fist.

* * *

"Fucking hell!" Ryoga cursed while rubbing his arm. "What is with you people and dragging others around?"

"Oh, don't be so childish," Montmorency scoffed. "Aren't you supposed to be the big tough guy or something?"

"That doesn't change the fact that it still hurts!"

The noble rolled her eyes. After leaving Guiche in the dust she dragged Ryoga all the way through the school dormitory and into her room, with Cat Shark entering behind them. She then cast a "Lock" spell on the door to keep out unwanted company and released her grip on Ryoga now that it was no longer needed.

Taking a moment to look around, Ryoga noticed that this dorm room was very different from Louise's. While holding the same bedroom and wardrobe set up, there were additional shelves with all sorts of glass vials and alembics on them. One shelf in the corner of the room had a line of potions on it, each one in a different container and glowing a different color. In the middle of the room was a large wooden table with all sorts of utensils on it, including pestles and mortars, a beaker, different measuring tools, and various alchemic looking ingredients. Just being here made him feel like he was in a science lab rather than a dorm room.

"Regardless, it's good you're here. Now we can- h-hey!" Montmorency shouted when Ryoga brushed past her towards the door, Cat Shark following obediently. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Away from here. Whatever this is between you and Guiche, I want no part of," Ryoga said grasping the door handle. He frowned when it refused to budge and pulled harder.

"You can't leave yet! I have something I need to ask you!" Montmorency protested.

"Don't care."

"B-But I…" Montmorency head lit with an idea. "W-Well, what about Katie huh?" That seemed to do the trick as Ryoga stopped jiggling the door and looked back at her. "Weren't you curious to know what happened to her? If you promise to stay, then I'll tell you what I know," she promised, hoping to convince the purple teen into staying.

Ryoga's gaze hardened. He looked at the door handle for a second before giving an irritated grunt and letting go. He leaned back against the wooden frame with arms crossed and a glaring look. "Fine. Talk then, but make it fast."

"Mrrow!' Cat Shark mimicked its' master hoping to be intimidating. It looked adorable instead.

Montmorency sighed in relief and properly straightened herself before speaking again. "You saw how Guiche was trying to suck up to me and stuff? That's because I caught him cheating on me again while we were on a date. The bastard excused himself halfway into it, saying he had to use the bathroom, but when I followed after him I found him flirting with that Katie girl again," she gave a loud huff and started muttering to herself. "'Have to use the bathroom.' Please, as if I'd be so gullible as to believe that. Does he think me stupid or something?"

"Focus," Ryoga ordered. "You sure what you saw was the case?"

"Of course, I'm sure!" Montmorency yelled. "I've seen him do it enough times to recognize it. Whenever we go out he's always staring at other females and makes advances on them whenever he thinks I'm not looking. He even forgets dates we have set up, _weeks_ in advance, and instead goes picking up flowers for another girl somewhere else."

"And somehow you were still dating him even before I arrived."

Flustered cheeks swarmed Montmorency's face. "T-That was a different circumstance. Regardless, I saw him giving that same smile he gives other girls to that first-year, and she was smiling back. They were even laughing together, and from what I overheard they've met up multiple times! That should be all the proof needed!"

She wasn't wrong. Given the evidence presented anybody would believe Guiche had gone and seduced Katie again, but Ryoga didn't buy it. Not fully anyways.

He could certainly picture Guiche trying to flirt with Katie, sure, but Katie responding back and accepting his advances? That wouldn't make sense since she told him she'd given up on the playboy, and even if she still held some lingering feelings for him, it wouldn't change how he went and broke her heart. Something else had to be going on here.

"Even if what you're saying is true, I still don't see why you dragged me here," Ryoga said, deciding to hold off on vocalizing his suspicions. He'd wait till he spoke with Katie directly before accusing people. "If you're looking for me to help, forget it. I've no intention of getting involved in your stupid lover's quarrel."

"That much was obvious," Montmorency claimed, brushing aside one of her hair ringlets. "Despite my association with Guiche, I'm not lacking in the observation category like he is."

"Then why drag me?"

"Like I said, I have something I wanted to discuss with you, and my room is one of the few places in this school where I can keep that idiot away from me. And it was a nice way of getting back at him. Two birds and all that."

Ryoga rolled his eyes. Figures it'd be something along those lines. "Alright, so what do you want?" He asked hoping to finish this quickly. In the second it took him to blink he found a finger shoved right into his field of vision, making his head slam back against the doorframe in surprise to try and avoid getting poked in eye.

"I want to know what you've been doing to my precious Robin!" Montmorency demanded fiercely, getting right up in the water user's face. Cat Shark yelped and moved away from the angry female while Ryoga looked at her baffled.

"Who?"

"My familiar!" The blonde girl motioned to a corner of the room, where laying on a wooden stool was a glass bowl filled with a small habitat of water, rocks, and different plant life. Resting on one of the plants was a tiny orange frog with black spots that was staring intently at the them. Ryoga's eyes flared with recognition, as it was the same frog that always sat on his lap during lunch. "I want to know what you've done to her!" Montmorency continued shouting, jabbing her finger in the Duelist's chest.

"What are you talking about? I haven't done anything to your familiar," Ryoga protested.

"Then explain why she and every other water based familiar in this school is drawn to you like a bee to pollen!"

Montmorency knew he couldn't deny this since it was public knowledge throughout the school, what with the familiars always gathering around him during lunch. Even if he was just in the vicinity their attentions turned on him, to the point of sometimes outright ignoring their masters. Robin hadn't done this thankfully, but there were times she tried to sneak away and approach the boy. When interrogated about it, the familiar told Montmorency that she felt a sense of tranquility and peace with the boy. Like he was an incarnation of the soul of water itself, flowing throughout life with everchanging waves, but embracing all in its' cool touch and giving chance for new life to be born.

It sounded like utter nonsense, but if Robin's explanation was to be believed then every water familiar felt this way around Ryoga. Just what kind of person had this sort of effect on familiars?

"How the hell should I know? It's not like I asked for their attention in the first place," the Duelist protested.

"What family do you come from? Do you study a specific school of water magic?" Montmorency interrogated.

"What fa- what does that have to do with anything?" Ryoga asked confused.

Montmorency shot him a look that said "Are you an idiot?" When she realized he was being serious she also became confused. "You don't know?" She asked backing up. "Despite you being a fallen noble you must have come from some prestigious line of water mages to produce this kind of effect on the familiars. I'm a water mage myself, yet I've never heard of any noble being able to do this, let alone one that can summon their familiar out of their own element like you did."

Ryoga figured she was probably referencing the first summon of Big Jaws. "Couldn't tell you. My family's always been a rather quiet one that never liked showing off or bragging about their heritage. And most of my abilities were self-taught," he answered. His family name, regardless of lifetime, wouldn't hold any weight in this world to be recognized, so there'd be no point in telling her about it. And while the instructors in his first life taught him the basics of Dueling, everything onwards was his own skill and talents. That applied to the power of Chaos as well. "Also, it's not like it's just water familiars hounding me. Or did you forget Tabitha's flying reptile?"

"That's only because of you feeding her. Not because of whatever magic you possess," Montmorency's blonde hair waved as she shook her head. "So you're saying you don't even know if your own heritage is special?"

"You ever hear of a family named Kamishiro before?" Ryoga returned the question with his own.

"Can't say I have, least not in Tristain. And you're _certain_ your magic isn't anything unique?"

"Far as I'm concerned."

"Unbelievable," Montmorency gave an exasperated sigh. "Just what kind of fallen noble are you?"

"The kind who prefers not being trapped and interrogated," Ryoga bit back with a motion of his thumb to the door.

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark nodded.

Montmorency shot the purple teen a small glare and held it for a minute, looking for any signs of deceit or hidden intention. After another minute she backed off and sighed. "Fine. I still think you're hiding something, but if you really don't know anything then there's no point keeping you here, especially if it'll just aggravate you further," she waved her wand causing a clicking sound to emit behind Ryoga, indicating the door was unlocked now. "Just make sure you don't corrupt my little Robin further. I won't have her stolen by some fallen noble."

"I'll be sure to keep that in mind," Ryoga said sarcastically. He opened the door and moved to step out but stopped halfway. "I said I didn't plan to help you regarding Guiche, and I still don't. But take this under advisement. What we think we see and know isn't always the whole truth. It can be a lot more complicated than that. Whether you choose to discover it or not, just make sure you don't go doing something you'll regret later on."

"Eh? What are you blathering on about?" Montmorency gave a confused look. Ryoga just walked out of the room with Cat Shark, leaving her irritated by the lack of answer and his 'advisement'. _"Don't do something I'll regret? As if. Guiche's the one who'll be regretting when I'm done with him."_

The cheating blonde would never stop his womanizing ways and needed to be taught a lesson. Montmorency walked over to a nearby drawer and opened it. She reached inside and pulled out a small vial of pink liquid.

" _It's still experimental, but I'm sure Guiche won't mind testing its' efficiency for me once I complete it,"_ the light of the liquid eerily illuminated Montmorency's smirk.

* * *

It was two more days of travel before Kirche and Tabitha reached the frontier. The wagon was currently stopped at the border checkpoint while the local guardsmen read their papers. Beyond here would be the land of Gallia and Tabitha's home.

Kirche sat with her arms crossed as she watched through the open doors of the wagon at the guards, who were going over the permits to make certain everything was clear. They were each armed with huge spears and heavy armor so as to be prepared for anyone who may try to force their way through. It wasn't anything of a threat to her or Tabitha, but men in uniform was always a sight to behold.

Another soldier suddenly came running up to the ground and addressed the captain of the knights. "Sir, we have someone crossing from the other side. I have his papers right here."

He handed a stack of papers to the captain, who Kirche noticed looked shocked for a moment before giving a firm nod and handed the papers back. "Alright. Let him through, quickly now."

The soldier saluted and rushed back, making Kirche surprised. What was that all of a sudden? Their papers were still getting checked, yet this guy allowed those other ones to fly through with only a short glance? Either he was slacking in his job, was keeping her and Tabitha here longer purposefully for some eye candy, which was perfectly fine by her since she loved showing off, or whoever was crossing from the other side had some strong connections.

After another minute the captain handed the permits back to the girls. "You're free to go through, but the road up ahead can't be used. You'll have to take a detour past the nearby town."

"Why is that?" Kirche asked.

Instead of the captain answering, a new voice did from the side. "It's because Lagdorian Lake is overflowed right now and flooded several of the roads back."

Leaning over to look at who spoke Kirche spotted a person approaching them who was wearing a large tan cloak with a hood and carried a large backpack over their shoulder. The cloak covered most of the person's body so she couldn't make out much, but as they approached she got a good look of the face and felt her eyes open fully from the view.

"Oh...wow…"

The figure was a boy, and he was…hot. And cute. One of the hottest and cutest boys she'd seen in her life. He was rather young too, looking only a year or two older than her, and carried a smile that just seemed to gleam like a morning sun. He'd give darling a good run for his money. In fact, where darling was cool and mysterious, this boy seemed to glow with brightness and ease.

"Thanks for letting me through captain. Been on the road for weeks now," the boy said to the knight. The captain bowed as did the soldiers around him.

"Not at all my lord. I would have been the first to greet you proper, but I had to handle these people first."

"I understand," the boy nodded. He looked over Kirche and Tabitha, his brown eyes observing them briefly before he turned to the driver. "There's a path up the road that'll take you up through the cliffside. It's a bit steep but it's the fastest route around the lake," he told the driver. He then addressed the girls with a wide smile and two-finger salute. "Hopefully that'll help you ladies out. Good luck on your trip, nee-sans."

The boy walked past the wagon while the guard captain closed the door and got the group moving again. Kirche looked out the window back to the disappearing figure, her curiosity perked not only by his looks, but by the title he addressed them.

"Neigh…sons?"

* * *

Lagdorian Lake was a massive lake, the largest in Haleginia that stretched along the border of Gallia and Tristain. It was said to have the most beautiful scenery in all the land and had quite the reputation for it.

Kirche could definitely attest to these claims, as looking out at the lake from the coach window showed her just how exquisitely beautiful it was. The water was so clear and crystalline that it felt spiritual in a way. The only thing off-putting it right now was that the words of the boy from before seemed to hold true, as the water level of the lake certainly seemed to have gone up. Without even being able to see the border of the lake, one could witness that the water had already submerged some of the nearby hills and forest. There were even some rooftops and chimneys peeking out from the surface, showing that the nearby town had also fallen to the flooding.

"Seems we really couldn't have gone through there," Kirche turned away from the sight to look at Tabitha. "Is your home near here?" She asked curiously despite not expecting an answer.

"Soon."

Kirche almost jumped. That was the first time Tabitha opened her mouth since they'd gotten in the carriage. Even reading her book, the bluenette seemed like she was fully aware of what was going on around them instead of ignoring it like before. Whether that was a good thing or not remained to be seen.

After advancing a while longer along the mountain road they eventually entered a forest and reached an area where many large oak trees were growing. Along the road farmers were taking a rest in the shade, each with a basket of different crops and fruits beside them. Kirche felt her stomach growl at the food, and after noticing one farmer with a basket of apples she called for the carriage to stop so she could purchase two of them.

"T-There's enough money here to buy the entire basket!" The famer shouted, looking at the amount of copper coins Kirche handed him.

"Two will be enough," Kirche said with a smile. The farmer nodded and handed her an apple, which she immediately took a bite out of and moaned in pleasure from the taste. "Wow, this apple is really good. Where do you grow this from?"

"The area around Lagdorian, in direct control territory," the farmer said as he handed the second apple to Tabitha.

"Huh? Direct control territory?" Kirche repeated surprised. Direct control territory was territory that was held and managed by members of royalty, usually a king.

"Indeed. This land is under direct rule by his highness, and we are now his vassals," the farmer said smiling. He gave a light bow to the two before walking off and allowing the carriage on its' way.

Kirche took another bite of the apple and went into thought. Considering how sweet the taste was in her mouth, the land here was truly fertile. And that was saying nothing about the picturesque beauty of the place. Why the King wanted the land was understandable. But that wasn't what bothered her.

"This territory is ruled by your family, isn't it?" Kirche turned to look at Tabitha. "Are you..."

Tabitha stared at the apple before taking a bite of her own, the lack of reply serving as her answer.

About ten minutes later the driver called out to the girls, saying that Tabitha's house was just up ahead. Looking out the window Kirche saw that it was an old feudal lord mansion, splendidly built at that. Her attention was then drawn to a large wooden post that they were passing by, and upon noticing the carved crest in the middle, her breath became lost. It was an emblem of two magic wands intersecting and had the inscription "to advance" written below them.

The crest of the Gallian royal family.

" _It can't be!"_ Kirche thought unbelieving. She was joking around when she suspected Tabitha as part of some distinguished nobility. But this wasn't a joke. If this was to be believed then…then Tabitha wasn't just another noble.

She was a princess!

However, when spotting another crest sign Kirche noticed a crack that could be seen on the crest. To a normal person this would seem to be a sign of age or maybe property damage, but she knew better. This crack was specific in its' location and design. It was a sign of dishonor, signifying that while the crest was meant for a royal family, they were stripped of their rights. This made Kirche grow worried as she looked over her friend, who had closed her book and was now staring out the window with an impossible to read expression.

The carriage stopped in front of the mansion gates, and an old servant in a butler uniform approached from the entrance. He smiled and bowed to the carriage as he opened the door for the girls.

"Miss, welcome back. We have been expecting you," the man spoke in a delicate manner. Tabitha got down from the carriage with Kirche following suite. Looking around the Germanian didn't notice any other servants or people for that matter, making the entire place feel as though it was deserted.

The old servant then guided the two inside the manor. The interior of the place was just as prestige and clean looking as the exterior, with all kinds of high-class décor and furniture hanging around. It was certainly fitting for regular nobility. But then again, if the crest outside was to be believed, then this was supposed to belong to a memory of royalty, and not a regular noble. It just didn't seem to fit. That and the continued absence of other people around made the manor feel far larger than it should have.

Eventually Tabitha and Kirche arrived in a large living room. The room was very neat, however like the rest of the place it was strangely quiet, almost appearing spiritless. Just the arrangement of the furniture made it feel more like a temple preparing for someone's funeral.

Kirche sat herself down on the living room sofa and looked over to Tabitha. "So…what happens now? Do we first say hello to your father?"

Tabitha shook her head. "Wait here."

"Huh?" Kirche looked confused as Tabitha turned and left the living room. Not knowing what to make of it she decided to simply do as told and relaxed herself on the couch. The old servant approached to her right with wine and dessert and set them before her on a small table. She didn't touch them and instead turned to the man. "Hey, this is her home, right? Yet it seems besides you no one else lives here."

The old man gave a light smile. "You wouldn't entirely be wrong. I'm the butler of the Orleans family, Percerin. Are you Miss Charlotte's friend?"

" _Charlotte?"_ Kirche thought while nodding to the question. The butler said Orleans family, so that would make Tabitha's real name, Charlotte d'Orleans. It certainly fit a more proper noble's name now.

There was something else though. The name Orleans, she felt like there was something about it that sounded familiar. Thinking over the name she suddenly remembered that Orleans was the family name of the younger brother of the current King of Gallia. So then Tabitha, rather Charlotte, was indeed a member of royalty?

" _But that doesn't make sense,"_ Kirche pondered in thought. "Um, if it's not too intrusive, may I ask why there is a dishonor sign on the crest of this house?" She asked the butler.

"Ah, it appears you are a foreigner. Please forgive me, can I ask for your name?" Percerin asked.

"I'm Germania's von Zerbst," Kirche replied. "Please, could you tell me what on earth is this house? Why has Tabitha gone to study abroad using a fake name? She won't say anything about herself to me at all."

The name "Tabitha" caused Percerin's eyes to widen before turning solemn as he sighed. "The Miss calls herself Tabitha…I see…" he looked sad for a moment before regaining his posture. "The Miss has never brought a friend before. Since it's a person to whom she has opened herself too, it shouldn't be a problem to tell you the story."

Percerin moved to stand at the windows. He held his hands behind his back and gazed out to the landscape.

"The truth is…this residence is in fact a prison."

Kirche's eyes widened. "Huh?"

* * *

In the deepest part of the manor lay a single room, kept solitude from the others. Tabitha stood before this room, her grip on her staff tightening for a moment before she knocked at the door. There was no answer, as was normal here. Over the past five years no one had ever opened the door when it was knocked on. At that time, Tabitha was only ten years old.

Tabitha opened the door and stepped inside before shutting it behind her. The layout of this room she was in was different than the rest of the mansion. The only things in it were a bed, a table, and a chair. Nothing else. A cool breeze flowed in through the open window on the other side, the curtains rippling as the wind pushed against them.

Tabitha didn't focus on any of this and instead locked her blue-eyes onto the figure sitting in the chair. It was a thin and tall blue-haired woman, whose beautiful face and appearance looked to have been withered away by some sort of disease. She was between thirty-five and forty years old, but despite her appearance she looked to be twenty or so. Held tightly in her hands with a tiny doll in a red dress.

Hearing the sound of the door closing the woman peered over at Tabitha with terrified eyes, just like that of a child. "Who is it?"

Tabitha approached the woman and bowed down deeply before her. "I have returned, mother."

"Go away, you insolent girl!" The woman screeched. She didn't seem to acknowledge Tabitha as her daughter at all. Not only that, but her terrified expression now became cold and undignified. "Are you a spy of the royal family? You want to snatch my beautiful daughter Charlotte from my hands? I will never give Charlotte to you!"

Tabitha didn't respond and kept her head bowed. Her mother continued to glare and hugged the doll closer.

"How horrible. To even pretend that this child would one day aim for the throne…" the mother mumbled shakily. "I have had enough of dirty court life! We just want a quiet life…just get out! Leave us alone now!"

The mother threw a glass of water on the table at Tabitha. Tabitha didn't avoid it and let the glass strike her head and roll on the ground, leaving her drenched. Looking up she watched as her mother returned to rubbing the doll's face, cooing to it in a soft voice and calling it Charlotte. Part of its' face was exposed and revealed the cotton underneath, most likely worn out from all the previous times the mother had rubbed it with her hand.

Tabitha's mouth formed into a sad smile, an expression she would only show in this room in front of her mother. "Your husband has been killed, that's why you are this way. You wouldn't really be like this if…" she didn't finish and stood back up. "I will be leaving now, but I will come back sooner or later. Until that day, please pray for your daughter-doll's safety."

The wind blew into the room through the open windows. Even though it was a very bright and warm day, the wind that blew from the lake was colder than any ice.

* * *

"A victim of a succession fight?" Kirche uttered.

Percerin nodded. "Yes, it happened five years ago with the death of the previous King. He left behind two crown princes. The one on the throne now is the eldest son, Joseph. Miss Charlotte's father, the Duke of Orleans, was the second son."

"So, she really does belong to the royal family," Kirche looked down to the floor whispering.

"The Duke of Orleans was talented in magic and loved by all, and appeared as a qualified ruler in the eyes of the people, even though he had to meet the hardships from being the second son," Percerin looked past Kirche to the fireplace in the room, where hanging above was a picture of a young man with blue hair and a gentle smile. "Because of this, many people supported the duke and wanted him to take the throne. The palace was then divided into two factions, launching into an ugly struggle for power."

"A fight broke out."

"Yes. And during the gruesome battle, the Duke of Orleans was murdered. Struck in the chest with a poisoned arrow. A person who was nobler than anyone else in this country was killed not by magic, but by a poisoned arrow. The regret and the indignation were unimaginable," Percerin took a deep breath to collect himself before continuing. "However, the tragedy was far from over. After the fight, those who made Joseph the king started targeting the Miss. They wanted to stamp out the source of any possible future trouble. One night, they summoned the Madame and the Miss to a banquet in their honor. However, they poisoned the Miss' drink. The Madame realized this, and in order to protect the Miss, drank it herself."

Kirche, shocked and at a loss for words, stayed silent and continued listening to the butler's confession.

"The drink did not kill the Madame however. It was instead laced with a powerful toxic water magic that breaks one's mind. While the noble who poisoned the drink was found and executed, the Madame had become insane as a result. She sacrificed herself to protect the Miss," Percerin looked down saddened. "The Miss however…in her grief and depression, sealed away her words and expressions. Miss Charlotte originally was very lively and bright, a different person than she is now. It is understandable however, that anyone who would witness their mother going mad would become like this."

The butler's fist clenched tightly at his side. Kirche didn't need to be a genius to tell how painful this was for him.

"The other nobles, knowing they had failed and in order to protect themselves, sent a royal order to Miss Charlotte, using her prodigal magic as an excuse for her being chosen. The task was extremely difficult, and nobody assigned to accomplish it before had been able to do so and return alive. However, the Miss did complete the task, and upon returning pledged her loyalty to the royal family, swearing to protect them. For what reason I do not know, but regardless she was still treated coldly by the royal family. Normally such achievement of a task would have been enough to deserve a territory, but instead she was granted the title of Chevalier and was forced to study abroad."

"She was basically kicked out then…" Kirche's eyes softened as a bitter smile formed across her lips. The irony was too laughable.

"With the Miss leaving, the Madame was made to stay here at the house, in the current condition she is in," Percerin bit his lip with regrets. "But even still…whenever the royal family has a difficult task to be done, they ask her to do their dirty work! Her father was killed, her mother was poisoned and driven insane, and she is led and directed by her personal enemies like a beast of burden! I have lived a long time, yet never did I know something could be as tragic as this. How people could be so cruel to this level is beyond me."

" _Tabitha…"_ Kirche's own fingers clenched on the couch leather.

Now, after all this time, did she finally realize why Tabitha was always so silent. Why she preferred her solitude rather than hang out with others. Why she was given the title of Chevalier despite being so young. How fitting that her runic name of 'Snow Wind' was because of the cold wind blowing inside her heart. One that hadn't ceased and continued to storm inside of her.

Such a cold feeling…must have been unimaginable.

* * *

Tabitha leaned against the walls of the corridor, her hand desperately gripping over her breast as she struggled to contain herself. It was the same every time she went to visit her mother. She had to hold back the tears, rebuild the walls around her emotions, steady her facial muscles. She couldn't afford to let them break down. Not now. Not when there was so much more to deal with.

" _Please wait for me mother. I swear I'll save you,"_ Tabitha thought as her grip tightened. _"Please…"_

"My, my, how easy one falls apart when all alone."

Tabitha's eyes shot open, her body instinctively pushing off the wall and swinging her staff towards the voice. She was thrown off balance when another grip latched onto the end of her staff and pushed it aside, the force nearly hurling her against the other wall of the hallway.

"Now, now, is that anyway to treat a guest?" Tabitha looked up to see a figure in a dark black cloak standing before her. The dimly lit corridor combined with the cloaks shadow-like appearance hid anything of discernable note regarding who the person beneath it was. Not that Tabitha needed to learn any of it, as she knew _exactly_ who was standing before.

"What are you doing here?" Tabitha spoke with an icy voice.

"How rude," the cloaked figure said. "I come all this way to check in on you and you act like this? I simply heard you were coming to visit and decided to drop by and see how our favorite little spy was doing," Tabitha held back the guilt she felt from the word "spy". "Though, I must say, I certainly didn't expect you to bring a friend over. Since when did you start opening up to other people? Is that cold heart of yours actually melting?"

The figure tilted its' head at feeling the air around grow colder. It noticed a layer of frost starting to form at Tabitha's feet and around the walls beside her. Her expression remained the same and she still looked shaken up, but her eyes were now icy cold and her lips were pursed tightly together.

"Stay away from her," Tabitha whispered. The figure chuckled at the threat.

"Oh? And what will you do if I don't?"

Tabitha's grip on her staff tightened. Sweat dripped down the sides of her face while the figure simply watched and waited to see what she'd do. Eventually the cold air receded and she lowered her head in submission.

"Good girl," the figure praised with a small clap. "You can rest easy though. I have no intention of harming your friend or your mother. I only came to check on something regarding your reports. They've been…shall we say, _lacking_ , lately? It's taking longer than usual for us to receive them, and when we do, they aren't as detailed as normally expected of you."

Tabitha flinched and looked away. "I've been busy."

"I'm certain you have. You did just receive a new familiar, did you not? A dragon from what I hear. I think I saw the beast outside in the sky. Quite the beauty, and rather powerful too," the figure stepped closer as a large aura of malice seemed to emit from it. "It would be a shame if anything were to happen to her…wouldn't it?"

Tabitha's whole body shivered but she didn't move from her spot even as the figure seemed to hover over her. A tense atmosphere flooded the halls as she felt the malice roll over her like a tidal wave. The pressure was chocking the air and making it impossible to breath. It then vanished as quickly as it came as the figure walked up and stood next to her.

"That said, your butler will be handing you a letter when you get back. I would tell you what's in it, but I don't wish to spoil the surprise. Just make sure to get it done as soon as possible. Your uncle would be quite displeased if you took too long to accomplish the task. And if that happens…" the figure motioned its' head over to the end of the hall. "Well…I cannot guarantee what may happen to dear old mother."

A swift swing of the staff end to bludgeon and stun. An ice spike summoned from the floor to impale through the chest. Both done under a timeframe of three seconds. That would be all it took to end someone's life. Yet Tabitha remained statue firm even as the figure walked away and gave its' back to her.

It was a fool's thought. There was no chance of her succeeding such an attempt. No fighting back against this… _monster_.

"Oh right, one last thing," the figure stopped walking and spoke up again. "I seem to recall in your reports that a human familiar was summoned to your school. A boy from what I hear. You failed to mention his name though," Tabitha stiffened. "Well, not like his name matters anyways. I just wanted to know one thing," the figure reached into the cloak and lifted something up into the air. "Did this person have anything like _this_ on him?"

It took all of Tabitha's will and strength not to react to the sight of what the figure held. For in-between the fingertips of the figure's hand, was a card. A card she had become accustomed to seeing over the last few days.

A Duel Monsters card.

Neither Tabitha or the figure spoke a word. After a moment, the figure pulled the card back underneath its' cloak. "I see…how intriguing. Make sure you take care of that task, little Charlotte."

The figure vanished into the shadows of the hallway, seemingly phasing straight into them and disappearing without a trace. Once it was gone Tabitha collapsed to her knees and wrapped her arms around herself shakily, her pupils shrinking in terror.

That _thing_ …wasn't human. Nothing human could hold such unholy and vile presence. Nothing could make her feel so sick and weak to the bone.

No, it was no human. It was a demon. A demon wearing human skin. And it had full control over her. She couldn't fight it, for it was far too powerful. She couldn't defy or escape it, less it decides to end her mother's life. She couldn't do a damn thing!

She was powerless…helpless…

" _For now…"_ Tabitha's fear transformed into a hardened look. She stood to her feet as her shaking ceased. She closed her eyes to gather herself before reopening them and returning to her stoic persona. _"One day I'll save you mother. I'll kill that monster and free us both of this nightmare,"_ her eyes drifted down to her skirt pocket, where the book she had been reading during their trip laid. The book containing everything taught to her by Ryoga. _"Just wait a little longer mother. Soon…I'll be the hero of this story."_

* * *

After night fell over the academy grounds Ryoga went to one of the far corners of the Vestri Court to get away from prying eyes and continue his self-training. Based on his mood he would switch between his swordsmanship with Derflinger or testing the various effects his cards could produce in this world. Tonight he decided to go with Duel Monsters and try to figure out how cards that adjusted Levels would affect his monsters.

The results however…

"Magic Card, Falling Current!" Ryoga shouted activating the card. A green card projected into the air with a picture depicting a large floating rock with water covering its' up and spilling along the sides. "I change Big Jaws Level from three to one!"

The fish spirit gave a lowly bubbling sound as the Magic Card glowed with a light aura. A similar aura appeared around Big Jaws and started causing it to shake, before the aura quickly faded and the card disappeared, its' purpose being fulfilled.

"Mrrow?" Cat Shark spoke with a tilted head. Big Jaws communicated back with a shake of its' head and a gurgle.

"Looks like it's still not doing anything partner," Derflinger observed from Ryoga's hip. "Your big fish is sayin he don't feel any different."

"Yeah, I don't sense a change either," Ryoga agreed. They'd been at this for a while now with different cards, each with no noticeable result. The Levels did change according to the D-Gazer, but outside of that he couldn't tell if it made Big Jaws any stronger of weaker.

In Duel Monsters, Levels and Ranks usually indicated the strength a monster possessed, which would be reflected in the difficulty summoning that monster. If Levels did have some kind of power in this world, there was no way to tell it from a glance. The only way would be to use another card that affected monsters of certain levels, or to try and summon an Xyz using the new Level, which was a no-go so long as they were in school grounds.

"Guess we'll have to try something else for now," Ryoga said putting the Magic Card away.

"Well you might want to wait then. We have company," Derflinger said before locking itself in the sheath.

"Mrrow?" Cat Shark's ears perked up as it heard something from behind. It turned to look and its' eyes lightened with joy. "Mrrow mrrow!" The Xyz cheered happily with a wave. Big Jaws did similar with its' own head. Ryoga turned to see what got them so excited and was surprised to see a familiar face.

"Siesta?" The former Barian called out. Illuminated by the moonlight, the figure of the housemaid appeared wearing her usual uniform, with the exception of her headband.

"I thought I'd find you here Shark-san," Siesta greeted with a smile. Her loose shoulder-length black hair shone glossily in the moonlight as she stepped forward. In her arms, she was carrying a tray with a teapot and some cups on it. "I hope I'm not disturbing you right now."

"Not at all," Ryoga gave a smile of his own. "Was just getting in some late-night practice. What about you? Still working?"

The darkness of the night helped to hide the maid's red cheeks. "A-Actually, ummm…t-today I was able to get some really tasty goods and I wanted you to try it. I would have given it to you during lunch, but I couldn't find you."

"You can thank Louise for that," Ryoga said annoyed, remembering how the noble dragged him out of the courtyard and into the nearby stairway to eat, saying that she didn't want him out of her sight. She was just getting worse with her attitude and he still didn't have a clue as to why. He had to sneak out of their room just to come out here. It was ridiculous.

"Is everything okay with Miss Valliere?" Siesta asked.

"Nothing you need to worry about," Ryoga assured. "Just her being her, like always. Anyways, you said you brought something?"

"Yes, it's actually something that rarely comes from Rub' al Khali. Some fresh tea."

"Tea?"

"Mrrow?" Cat Shark mimicked its' master, Big Jaws doing the same.

"That's right. Tea is a rare commodity even around here, even rarer to get from Rub' al Khali," Siesta explained. "I wasn't sure if you liked tea or not, but I…well…would you?" She held the plate up nervously, trying not to show her shaking hands.

Ryoga chuckled and nodded. "Sure. I'd love some," his words relieved Siesta's worry and seemed to brighten her up. "Cat Shark, Big Jaws, you guys want some too?"

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark and Big Jaws both nodded excitedly making Siesta giggle at the sight. The two humans and Duel Monsters sat down on the grass with the tray put in the middle of them. Siesta took the teapot in hand and poured a cup for Ryoga before making two more for Cat Shark to hold; one for itself and the other for Big Jaws.

"Thank you," Ryoga lifted the cup to his lips. The sweet aroma tickled his nostrils with a familiar scent, and when he took a sip, his eyes widened. "This is…"

The tea…it tasted just like Japanese green tea. Right down to the mix of sweet and bitter flavors from the tea leaves used. It reminded him of all the times the orphanage made it for the children, and was something he and Rio picked up on after they left. Being reminded of this brought a nostalgic feeling to the Duelist.

"Ah! A-Are you okay Shark-san?" Siesta asked, bending over the edge of the kettle to get closer to Ryoga. He noticed she looked worried, and after a second realized his eyes felt a little watery.

"Yeah, sorry," Ryoga apologized and dusted the corners of his eyes. It wouldn't do to get emotional at a time like this. "It's just…I haven't had something like this in a long time. It reminds me a lot of home."

"So it's not bad then?"

"Not at all. It's great even," Ryoga said taking another sip. Cat Shark and Big Jaws let out their own pleased moans from the taste, with the feline fish pouring the second drink onto Big Jaws tongue for it.

"I'm glad," Siesta gave a relived sigh. She poured her own cup and drank from it, giving her own pleased sound. "It really is delicious. You said this reminds you of home? I suppose that makes sense since you come from the east. Do you miss it?"

"Heh, funny you should ask that," Ryoga looked up his tea to the twin moons in the sky. "I kinda had a revelation not long ago, and it helped me realize that while I was becoming accepting of being here, I was missing my home a lot more than I realized. I just didn't really think about it till then."

"Oh…I see…" Siesta wasn't sure how to respond to that. The ocean-eyed boy never really spoke of his home, but just hearing the emotion in his voice said everything she needed to know.

"It's fine," Ryoga said looking back down. "You don't have to apologize. I'm over it anyways. I still miss home, sure, but I think realizing that is helping me feel better than I was before. It was a wakeup call I didn't even know I needed."

"That does sound like something that would happen to you," Siesta said with a light tease. She finished her cup and set it down on the plate. "Shark-san, may I ask what your home country is like?"

A loud chuckle escaped the Duelist's mouth. "What it's like huh? If I told you you'd probably never believe any of it."

"I would!" Siesta defended. "I mean I believed you when you said you weren't a noble or had magic."

"And do you still believe that?" Ryoga asked with a raised brow.

Siesta looked down and held her hands in her lap. "It's…difficult at times," she admitted. "I know you're not a dishonest person Shark-san, but sometimes seeing all the amazing things you do out here makes me wonder if you're just making fun of me for being a normal village girl."

"I would never do that," the water user declared firmly.

"I know. It's just a silly fear of mine," Siesta said with a reassuring smile. "But I really do wish to hear about your home. Please, don't worry about how I may feel. Just tell me the truth and allow me to judge for myself."

Ryoga looked to see if Siesta was certain and saw that she was. He also noticed that under the moonlight, her charm was noticeably increased. Her big blue eyes, friendly nature, and tiny nose became much prettier in this setting, and with her leaning forward to listen she had this innocent look that-

What the _HELL_ was he thinking!?

Ryoga quickly waved off the strange thoughts and leaned back to look at the twin moons again, trying hard not stare at Siesta. "Well…if you really want to know then I'll tell you. Just be prepared to keep an open mind."

With that Ryoga began to talk about Heartland City and the country of Japan, with Siesta eagerly latching onto his every word like a child with candy.

* * *

At the same time Siesta and Ryoga were chatting, on the other side of the Vestri Court, Montmorency sat at a table with a single lantern lighting her face. On the table was a pair of wine glasses and a pitcher of wine to go along with them. Montmorency's attention wasn't on them however, and instead focused on the tiny bottle held in her fingers. In it was a glowing pink liquid that anybody with extensive knowledge or understanding of potions and alchemy would recognize.

" _And tonight, I'll get to see just how effective it is,"_ Montmorency thought with a devious smirk.

"Hey, have you waited long?"

"Eek!" Montmorency jumped and quickly hid the potion in her skirt. She turned to face Guiche, who just arrived, and smiled. "Ah, hi. Sorry to call you out here all of a sudden, but the moon was so beautiful that I thought we could take a moment and talk about what happened."

"Really!? Does this mean you accept my apology!?" Guiche cheered excitedly as he captured Montmorency's hands and held them close to his face. She became enthralled by the action before regaining her senses and pulling away.

"Don't misunderstand! That doorway is still shut for now and I have yet to make up my mind on it. This will simply be your opportunity to try and convince me," Montmorency explained in as stern a tone she could.

"But of course, my cute Montmorency!" Guiche took the seat beside his fellow blonde and gave his best dashing smile. Never once did he notice her hands fingering the bottle in her pocket.

* * *

Time became a lost concept to keep track of as Ryoga told Siesta of his homeland. From the difference in cities and buildings, to the landscape, to the food, to anything he could think of that wouldn't overwhelm her, such as how advanced his home's technology was compared to here.

Of course, the topic he talked most about was Duel Monsters, with him only now finishing explaining the concept of the game and how it worked, giving the same explanation that he did Louise and Tabitha. While he still wished to keep it secret as long as possible from the public, the circle of individual people discovering his power was slowly growing, either from him revealing it to them or them seeing it firsthand. Because of this he figured adding Siesta into the mix wouldn't hurt since he trusted her enough to know that she wouldn't tell anybody else. It would also help ease her mind if she had a better understanding of how he could do the things he did.

"It sounds so surreal," Siesta spoke in awe, processing everything she learned. Her eyes glanced over to the Cat Shark and Big Jaws, watching the two spirits chat with each other playfully. "So then, those two really aren't your familiars?"

"A noble can only have one familiar, right? It'd be hard-pressed to have two I'd think," Ryoga answered.

"That's true," Siesta agreed. Even with her lack of magical insight, it was commonplace to know that each mage could only have one familiar. There were no exceptions to that rule. "Still…it's so hard to believe. A place where anybody can summon creatures like Big Jaws or Cat Shark…and they don't even need magic to do so. Does such a place really exist out there?"

"It does. I guarantee it."

"Amazing," Siesta gained a starry-eyed look. "It really does sound amazing. It actually sounds a lot like the stories about my great-grandfather."

"Great-grandfather?" Ryoga inquired with a raised brow.

Siesta nodded. "I never knew him myself since he died before I was born, but I used to hear a lot of stories about him. My father told me that great-grandfather claimed to be from another world, and that he appeared in our hometown from a rip in the sky," the raven-haired beauty's gaze locked onto her tea cup, not noticing the wide-eyed look of shock on Ryoga from her words. "I remember one story where it was said he summoned a giant three-headed dragon to protect my hometown from monsters, but since nobody in my family has magic there's no way it was real," she smiled and giggled to herself. "Summoning a dragon, I mean could you really picture me doing such a thing? I imagine it was just a fairy tale told to inspire my family to do our best."

While Siesta continued to speak about her great-grandfather, Ryoga's mind went into thought. Another world? A rip in the sky? Summoning a three-headed dragon?

" _Could it be…would that mean…"_ He looked to his Duel Disk and Big Jaws's card resting on it. He then glanced over at Siesta, his sight moving between the two as an idea started passing through his mind. "Hey Siesta, your family doesn't possess anything like a Duel Disk or Duel Monsters cards, do they?"

"No way," Siesta shook her head. "I'd remember us having something like that back home. Even if we did I don't see how it would help. None of us could possibly do what you can Shark-san."

"Don't sell yourself short," Ryoga put a hand on Siesta's shoulder, making the maid quietly "eep" and turn her face blood scarlet. "You're a lot stronger than you think, and you've been a huge help to me ever since I came to this school. I don't think things would be nearly as good if you weren't around."

Siesta's face felt insanely hot and turned away embarrassed. "Y-You're exaggerating Shark-san. I couldn't possibly be that special."

"That so…" Ryoga stood up and removed Big Jaws card from the Duel Disk, causing the spirit to fade away. Cat Shark moaned disappointed from the loss of its' friend while Siesta looked confused. "Guess there's only one way to find out," Siesta's confusion grew when Ryoga held the card to her, his signature grin showing. "I want you to summon Big Jaws."

"Eh?" It took the academy maid a minute to understand what was being asked. Once she did, she wailed out loudly in surprise. "E-Ehhh!? W-W-What do you mean Shark-san!?"

"Exactly what I said. I want _you_ to try and summon Big Jaws exactly like I do," Ryoga explained as if it were the simplest thing in the world to do.

"I-I can't do that!" Siesta protested, her hands waving frantically back and forth. "I don't have ma- I-I mean, I'm not a Duelist like you! I'm just a simple village girl! I couldn't possibly do something like that!"

"You don't know till you try."

"But I-"

"Siesta," Ryoga's tone cut the maid off and got her to really notice the Duelist's expression. It was a hardened gaze, but not out of any negativity. Rather it was more like a stern parent who was trying to teach a lesson to their child. "Noble or commoner. Magic or non-magic. None of that matters when it comes to Duel Monsters. Anybody, even you, can do it if you just try. You say you're not special, but you're wrong, and I want you to realize that by showing that even someone like you, a 'simple village girl' as you put it, can do something amazing."

"Shark-san…" Siesta's mouth hung, not knowing how to respond to such words.

"I'm not saying you'll succeed on the first attempt, and I won't make any promises that it'll change your life. All I want is for you to try," Ryoga extended a hand down to Siesta. "You said once before that I gave you the strength to believe in yourself. Prove it now."

Siesta didn't give any vocal indication of a response as she stared at the hand. _"The strength to…believe in myself…"_ she warred in her mind while Ryoga simply waited to see what her answer would be.

He didn't bother to hide his grin when she put her hand in his and pulled herself up.

* * *

Back with Montmorency and Guiche, the blonde playboy was trying his very best to woo his former lover. He pulled out all the stops, comparing Montmorency's appearance to that of a rose, a wild rose, a white rose in fact, while complimenting that her eyes were that of blue roses, and her beauty and passion were only equal to the spirit of water. It was a lot of roses and water compliments.

Despite her thoughts on the playboy's attitude with women, Montmorency was still down to her core a Tristain noble, and was very proud and conceited, so hearing such flattery, even such lame ones from Guiche, made her feel all the more elated. She still kept from staring at him directly, not only for fear of losing her composure, but as a sign given to him that she was enjoying his words. It was an act the two established long ago. The more she stayed this way, the more he would try and complement her. It was a game to see who would give in first.

"In front of you, wouldn't the spirit of water run away?" Guiche continued to praise, searching his head for more words to attract the fellow blonde's attention. "See, this hair, it is like a golden grassland. A sea of glittering stars. Ah, any female besides you can no longer enter my eyes."

" _I'm sure you say the same thing to every girl,"_ Montmorency thought. She glanced down to her pocket and moved her hand ever so slightly to pull the bottle out. _"I guess this will be enough."_

Keeping the bottle hidden she slowly turned and held her other hand to Guiche, whose face lit with joy. "Ah!" Guiche gently caressed the hand and kissed it, moaning in wonder at the sensation. "Ahh, my dear Montmorency…" the noble tried to bring his lips near hers, but was stopped by her finger.

"Before that, let us drink some wine," Montmorency suggested as she lifted the pitcher up with a smile.

"Of course!" Guiche agreed immediately. Anything to make his darling love him again. He hurriedly grabbed the glass to pour the wine, but stopped when something in the distance caught his attention. "Huh? Is that Louise over there?"

Montmorency looked in the same direction. Indeed, it was Louise, exiting the dorm room tower with a rather irritated look about her. Even her walking felt like a march of power that would stomp on anyone who got in her way.

"Wonder what she's doing up so late," Guiche pondered.

"Who knows," Montmorency shrugged. So long as it didn't interfere with her own plans she could care less about the pinkette's issues.

Said pinkette noticed the two but didn't bother paying attention to them, instead her eyes moved around the courtyard like a hawk seeking prey. Her prey of course being Ryoga, who still hadn't returned from his nightly training when he said he'd be gone for an hour at most.

That was three hours ago.

"It's like he does this on purpose or something," Louise muttered angrily. "Really, how long does he plan to take, that stupid jerk. Probably wandering around with that maid again or that Katie girl. That jerk just wags his tail like a dog at any girl who-" she stopped mid-march and blinked. "Why am I getting so worked up about that?"

Not for the first time did an unfamiliar pain pulsate in her chest. She tried ignoring it and continued her search, but the more she thought about the Duelist spending time with someone else, the worse that feeling became. It had been like this ever since their time at the Charming Fairies' Inn when she made that bet with Jessica. The idea of Ryoga leaving her or being around another girl just…set her off now. Just the mention of another female's name from him was enough to bother her, when she should have no reason to be bothered to begin with.

He was acting as _her_ familiar, and he said he wouldn't leave her side so that should be the end of it. Yet that didn't stop him from interacting with the maid or Katie, or any other girl in fact, and now with Tabitha being thrown in the mix it was like he was starting to spend more time with them rather than her. It was downright infuriating.

But why? Why did that bother her so much? Who he interacted with didn't matter, right? And it wasn't like he even thought of any girls in that manner, least she didn't think he did. Honestly it was hard to tell with how serious, antisocial, and focused he always seemed, though knowing him he would probably rather focus on his "Duel Monsters" cards than pay attention to the opposite sex in that way. He did reject Zerbst after all.

"Gah!" Louise shook her head rapidly, trying to fight down the heat building in her cheeks. "Stop it! Stop thinking about this! He's just so annoying dammit!" She shouted into the air. There was no time for this! She could rant on this after she found her fake familiar.

The sound of surging water broke the noble's thoughts and made her turn in the direction of the noise. She recognized that sound anywhere.

"Found you!" Louise rapidly stomped over towards the noise. As she approached her ears picked up the familiar sound of Cat Shark's meows and Ryoga's voice, confirming her suspicions and increasing her pace.

Once she came into sight of the Duelist however, Louise's feet became cemented to the grass and her blood quickly drained from her face.

There, under the moonlight, was the form of Ryoga laying on the grass of the Vestri Court. On top of him was the maid he always hung out with, her arms wrapped around his neck as she laid on top of him. Although their faces couldn't be seen, their heads were very close to each other to the point that their hair covered each other from view.

It looked like they were…they were…

Louise took two steps back before turning around and running away, the pain in her chest exploding into new heights.

* * *

"Alright, just like I showed you," Ryoga instructed.

"R-Right," Siesta took a deep breath as she tried to balance the weight of the Duel Disk on her left arm. It felt so… _strange..._ to have something like this attached to her. Was this how Shark-san felt every time he put it on?

Focusing on the task at hand Siesta closed her eyes and held her right hand over the deck, trying to remain as still as possible. The stance was shown to her by Ryoga, who was watching silently from the side with Cat Shark, neither making any motion or sound so as not to break her concentration.

" _You can do this,"_ Ryoga mentally encouraged, hoping his words would prove true. Though he had initially set this up to test a theory, he sincerely hoped it would succeed so that Siesta could really start to believe in herself. If she could do this, then it would be the first step towards her obtaining a new path for herself, though it was still up to her own will and determination whether she could open it or not.

It seemed Siesta believed in the latter, as her body began shaking before dropping from its' stance and letting down both arms. "I…I can't Shark-san," she said with a defeated look.

"You _can_ ," Ryoga said firmly.

Siesta shook her head. "I can't. Shark-san, this sort of thing, a commoner shouldn't-"

"Siesta," Ryoga used the same tone from before to silence her. She waited for him to continue, and after a moment he spoke again, this time in a softer tone. "Twenty, no, thirty years from now, when you look back at this point in your life, would you be okay knowing you didn't have the courage to try, or would you rather be the person who said you had the guts to do something nobody else could."

Siesta looked down to the Duel Disk in thought, and after a moment she closed her eyes and moved back into the same stance as before. Ryoga held back from smiling just yet and instead waited. Siesta positioned her hand over the deck and kept it there, holding perfectly still as the area around her grew silent, allowing her thoughts to drift back to all the times she met Shark-san. The good, the strange, the funny, all of it.

" _You always have a way with words, don't you Shark-san?"_ Siesta thought to herself, the edges of her lips curling slightly. _"Even now, when I'm unsure about any of this, you give your full support to me and believe in me. And I…I don't want to let you down."_

She remembered their first meeting under a similar night sky and just how well they both got along with each other.

" _I don't…I don't want to be afraid anymore Shark-san. I want to change…to be…like you…"_

She remembered the moment he saved her from Count Mott, seeing the results of how far he went just for someone like her.

" _I want to be brave like you…"_

The moment he fought against Guiche for both himself and Miss Valliere's honor.

" _I want to be strong like you…"_

The moment he helped her with her cake deliveries and dishes without needing too.

" _To be kind like you…"_

The moment he asked her for help for the Familiar Exhibition.

" _To be sincere like you…"_

The moment she…kissed him.

" _I want…to be just like you Shark-san! To stand beside you! So please, Brimir, if you're listening to this simple village girl…please…just this once…give me courage…"_

 **BA-BUMP!**

" _And let me stay by him!"_ Siesta's eyes snapped open with a determined look. "DRAW!"

In a single swift motion, Siesta's fingers snapped to the to the deck and withdrew the top card from its' place. Ryoga's eyes widened at seeing this.

That movement was…

"I summon, Big Jaws!"

Siesta slapped the card onto the Duel Disk, the device lighting up at the action. A surging torrent of water roared out of the ground before the maid and swirled around into the air. A pair of red lights glowed within before the water exploded out, as the big-mouthed water spirit emerged and let out a gurgling roar.

The moonlight glistened on the water particles that floated in the air, filling the area with a much more serene appearance and atmosphere. Siesta's eyes took it all in, noticing one water particle drift gently by before fading. Looking up she saw the aquatic Duel Monster turn to her, it's gigantic mouth almost seeming to curve into a smile. She then looked over to Cat Shark, who was flying around and cheering excitedly, and finally to Ryoga.

"Shark-san…I…did I…"

Ryoga grinned. "Congratulations. You've taken the first step to becoming a Duelist."

Siesta looked down to her hands. They were shaking again, but not out of nervous like before. No…it was the opposite. She felt…ecstatic. A rush of adrenaline pumping through her veins and making her feel as light as a feather. "I…I did it." Siesta looked at Big Jaws, her shocked expression slowly morphing into a wide smile. "I did it…I did it! I summoned Big Jaws!"

"Told y-gah!" Ryoga was caught off balance when Siesta lunged forward and tackled him, her arms wrapping around his neck tightly as she laughed happily. "H-Hey!"

"I did it Shark-san! I did it!" Siesta cheered as she hugged the boy.

"Hey careful! You're going to-w-woah!"

Ryoga's foot lost its' balance causing him to topple backwards. Siesta's grip caused her to follow suite as both yelped in surprised and fell over. Ryoga's back slammed against the ground and his front was impacted by Siesta landing on top of him, the double hit causing the wind to be lightly knocked out of him.

"Ah! I-I'm sorry!" Siesta quickly pushed herself up to look at Ryoga. "Are you okay Shark-san?"

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. Though next time, warn a guy before you decide to jump on them, okay?" Ryoga spoke sarcastically despite the pain. Shaking off the impact he looked up only to find himself staring directly into the blue orbs of Siesta's eyes, their noses almost touching from how close they were.

Breaths hitched. Neither dared move an inch. Siesta's raven hair fell down around them, blocking out any other sight save for each other's face. Because of this neither of them noticed a third person step into the area before running away shortly after.

It was Siesta who broke contact first when she realized what she was doing and her face swarmed with red. "S-Sorry!" She quickly jumped off Ryoga and backed away, her sight finding the grass below her very interesting while her hands laid in her apron tightly.

"I-It's fine," Ryoga pushed himself up, trying to fight back the heat in his cheeks and the feeling in his chest.

Again, neither spoke a word. They slowly looked up to each other, snapped away when catching each other's sight, before repeating the process again. It was then a sound escaped both their mouths that they struggled to contain, but quickly failed at as they both started laughing uncontrollably.

"Hahaha, I-I'm sorry Shark-san," Siesta said smiling as she struggled to contain herself. "I-I don't know what came over me just now."

"Hahaha, i-it's alright. I was probably thinking the same," Ryoga said with his own smile. He and Siesta both got to their feet as they finally started settling down. "So…feels great huh?"

"Yes," Siesta nodded looking at the Duel Disk on her arm. "I still can't believe I did that. I felt so… _alive_ just then. A commoner like me managed to do something only nobles could. It was amazing."

"I'm glad to hear," Ryoga nodded in approval. He truly was happy for her, and at the same time he was glad to know his theory was right. With Tabitha's recent study into Duel Monsters and Fouquet attempting to use Black Hole, he pondered on if the people of this world could even use the power of Duel Monsters. Up till now he always believed it to be negative seeing how different the magic of this world was to his own, but he still wanted to be sure.

Based on the result just now, it seems the opposite held true. When Big Jaws was summoned, it wasn't a Hard-Light hologram, but an actual body like whenever he summoned the spirit. Seemed it didn't matter if you were a noble, commoner, or a former Barian emperor. So long as you still used a Duel Disk to perform the actions, you could call the monsters in living forms, which could similarly mean that Magic and Trap cards could be used just the same. It wasn't a pleasant thought and would require more testing, but seeing as no other Duel Disk had popped up anywhere as of yet, there wasn't a need to panic over it right now, though he would keep his eyes open.

" _Though, the way she moved just then…"_ Ryoga looked over Siesta's form for a moment before pushing the thoughts aside. Taking back the Duel Disk from Siesta he de-summoned Big Jaws and pocketed the device away while the maid recollected the tea cups and tray. "Well, I guess that'll be all for tonight. I should head back before Louise loses her top."

"Of course. Thank you for spending the time with me Shark-san. It was very fun, Both the stories you told and the experience," Siesta said brightly.

"Glad you approve. I may be a bit of a showoff, but I always make sure to do my best when I do," Ryoga joked.

Siesta giggled again before she cast her eyes down shyly, the blush returning to her face. "Shark-san…umm…c-could I hear more of your stories sometime?"

"Sure," Ryoga instantly agreed. "And if you want, I can have you summon more things like Big Jaws. Though we'll have to do them in secret like we did tonight. Still don't want everyone discovering this just yet."

"Of course, I understand," Siesta nodded. "I best head to the kitchen then and get these cleaned."

"Right. Have a nice night Siesta."

"You as well Shark-san," Siesta turned to leave but stopped before she took the first step. "Shark-san…" The Duelist looked at her curiously. "Well, err…I just wanted to say that…while the tea and summoning were amazing…" her eyes shined in the moonlight as they looked back to Ryoga. "You were the most amazing of all."

Ryoga felt a thump in his chest and his cheeks heat up. Before he could say anything back the maid ran off in tiny steps. Ryoga just stared at her retreating back, not noticing Cat Shark bump against his side and poke him, curious to the frozen state of its' master.

He did still notice the giggling sword at his side and slammed the blade back into its' sheath. Hard.

* * *

"W-What was all that about!?" Louise ranted as she raced away from the scene. "H-H-How dare he do such a thing in public! He's supposed to be by my side acting like my familiar, and yet he goes throwing himself at that maid and…and…"

The pain echoed through her, worse than ever before. Ryoga and that maid were…no! She didn't want to think about it! It didn't matter! It shouldn't matter! He could do whatever he wanted! She didn't care! She-

Louise stopped running and looked confused. "Wait, why am I the one getting worked up and sneaking off like I did something wrong?" Her irritation grew again as she grabbed her head. "Argh, this is so annoying!"

As the pinkette continued to dive further into self-confusion, Guiche finished pouring himself and Montmorency a glass of wine. Upon finishing he looked lovingly into his fellow blonde's face. "Ah, my dear Montmorency…"

He tried to move closer only to be stopped by Montmorency's finger once more. "Don't be so hasty. First a toast to celebrate."

"Ah, of course. Forgive me. In front of you I tend to forget my manners as a gentleman," Guiche complimented himself.

Montmorency rolled her eyes. She was _so_ certain of that. In fact… "Oh!? A naked princess is flying in the sky!"

"Eh!? Where? Where, where?" Guiche's eyes lit like stars and his head frantically moved around to find this amazing female.

"' _Any female besides you can no longer enter my eye, huh?'"_ Montmorency mentally growled. Seemed this idiot truly wouldn't learn. Using his distracted state, she secretly poured the contents of the small bottle she brought into Guiche's wine cup. The transparent fluid dissolved into the wine and caused it to glow briefly before returning to normal.

"Where? Where, where, where? Hey, where is she?" Guiche continued asking, not at all noticing the action.

"Oh, it was nothing. Just a little lie," Montmorency smiled sweetly.

"Come on now, don't startle me like that," Guiche sighed, slightly disappointed in there being no naked female.

"My apologies. Regardless," Montmorency lifted her glass up. "Let us toast."

Guiche did the same and both nobles clinked their glasses together. Montmorency didn't move to drink hers though and just watched with excitement as Guiche lifted the glass to his lips.

"Ah! Wait a second!"

Montmorency jumped at Guiche's shout and watched him pull the glass away. What was going on? Did she get discovered? Impossible, there was no way this idiot could recognize something was amiss.

"I almost forgot the most important part! How foolish of me," Guiche put the glass down and turned to face his fellow blonde. "My beloved Montmorency, I have something for you."

"F-For me?" Montmorency stuttered trying to remain calm. She didn't know what he was up to but it was best to play along for the sake of it.

"Behold," Guiche reached beneath his cloak and pulled out a tiny pink box with a red ribbon on top. "For you, my most wondrous and beautiful Montmorency."

The water noble took the box and stared at it curiously. Knowing Guiche it was probably some fancy jewelry or something along those lines, as he always liked boasting his wealth through such feats. When she opened it however she was not greeted to a shiny gem or sparkly necklace, and instead became confused.

"A…cupcake?"

Indeed it was a cupcake. A chocolate cupcake with yellow frosting on the top to be exact. It was a rather big cupcake too, large enough to share for two people. On the top of the yellow frosting were the words "I'm sorry. Please forgive me" written in blue frosting.

"I…what is this Guiche?" Montmorency asked. She couldn't understand since this was so…not Guiche.

The blonde playboy rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously. "W-Well you see, I wanted to demonstrate how sincerely sorry I am for cheating on you, so I made that as both an apology and hope of getting my feelings across."

"You… _made_ this? Montmorency said in disbelief. "Since when could you bake?"

"Ah, well you see I had some help in that regard. It was Katie who taught me how to make it," Guiche admitted embarrassed.

"Katie?" Montmorency repeated. Her eyes then greatly widened. No…it couldn't be. The next words from Guiche however proved her thoughts to be true.

"Yes. You see I wanted to apologize to her as well for my actions, but like you she initially refused to hear me out. However, when I told her that I wanted to do the same for you and make you something special to show my sincerity, she changed her mind and agreed to help me. That was the reason I was spending so much time with her these past few days. I was learning how to bake so I could make you this lovely dessert for us to share together."

Montmorency was floored. He wasn't flirting with Katie then? He was getting lessons on baking so he could…so he could make this for her? Then this whole time he was trying to approach her, was it because he was trying to give it to her?

"So please, will you accept my humblest apologies, my cute Montmorency?" Guiche asked with his hands held together in a prayer fashion.

Montmorency didn't know what to do. _"This has to be a joke, right? There's no way he actually went out of his way to bake something for me. He's just trying to fool me is all,"_ she thought to herself convincingly. Yet his face showed absolute sincerity and she couldn't tell if he was lying about Katie or not.

" _What we think we see and know isn't always the whole truth. It can be a lot more complicated than that. Whether you choose to discover it or not, just make sure you don't go doing something you'll regret later on."_

The words of the Zero's familiar rang through Montmorency's head. Did he…did he know about this? No, there would be no way he could seeing as he and Louise were away from the school during that time. But the way he spoke, maybe he suspected something was off. Then why didn't he say anything? Did he do that on purpose so she would discover this herself?

So lost in her confusion the noble almost didn't notice someone walk up to the table. She and Guiche turned and saw Louise standing there, though her face was anything but pleasant. It had the look of "I want to kill someone" written all over it.

"Oh, Louise? What have you been up too this night?" Guiche asked curious.

"Shut up," Louise growled out. Her hand snatched the glass out of Guiche's drink causing him to gasp and Montmorency to gasp quietly. "I'm taking this."

In one swift gulp Louise drank the whole glass. She slammed the cup and muttered a quiet "thanks" before walking off, ignoring the pale look of absolute horror coming from Montmorency.

* * *

Ryoga returned to Louise's room shortly after reeling in his emotions. He still didn't get why he got so flustered around Siesta, but he could worry about it another time. Right now he just wanted some sleep.

"I'm back," he announced closing the door behind him. Cat Shark flew to the hay bed happily and curled around to warm itself.

"You sure took your time, didn't you?" Louise spoke up. She was sitting on her bed with her arms crossed and a stern glare, indicating that she'd been waiting for the Duelist's return.

"I was busy testing something new and lost track of how late it was getting," Ryoga excused. It wasn't like he was lying. He did get to test two things after all tonight, even if the later one ended a little awkwardly.

"I'm _sure_ you lost track of time," Louise growled. "You sure like to deceive your…master…"

"Pretend master," Ryoga reminded automatically. It was then he noticed Louise's face turning really red and her body starting to wobble a little. "Hey, you alright?"

"I don't…care about…" Louise mumbled, her head swaying back and forth like a pendulum.

"Louise, hey!" Ryoga moved to hold Louise up just as she was about to fall over. "What's wrong?" He put a hand on her forehead and was shocked by what he felt. "The hell, you're burning up! Louise, hey!"

Louise heard Ryoga's words but didn't focus on them. Instead her focus was completely on his face. She had chased Ryoga around because she couldn't forgive him for spending so much time with other girls presents despite having her. He swore he would stay by her side, promised even. You don't break a promise like that unless you weren't intending to keep it. It would be a big problem for her if that happened and she was afraid of him leaving.

But the moment she saw the purple Duelist enter the room, her feelings toward him jumped straight through the ceiling. Until that point, she had vaguely liked him. She wouldn't accept it herself, but she liked him. He was gruff, rude at times, had no respect for authority, and caused her more problems than she had before he arrived. But he was also kind, gentle, caring, protective, and had this strength about him she admired. That was probably why she was so jealous any time he was with some other girl.

In this moment however, her "like" became "love". Love without limit, without hamper. The emotion was so big even Louise herself was bewildered. Without thinking she covered her cheeks with her hands, not at all caring about the heat from them.

" _Oh my…I liked him this much?"_ Tears overflowed from Louise's eyes. _"I…I loved him this…this much?_

Her feelings right now were bigger than any amount of anger or irritation she held before. She loved him so much, so why didn't Ryoga look at her the way she wanted? It was cruel. So cruel of him to act that way to her.

"Louise?" Ryoga called out again. Cat Shark nuzzled the pinkette from the side, being just as worried as its' master. "Louise, hey come on, say something."

"Ryoga…Ryoga…" Louise's hands reached shakily too him.

"What is it. What's wro-"

"Ryoga!" Louise suddenly leaped on the Duelist and hugged him tightly, digging her face into his shoulder.

"Huh!?" Ryoga looked absolutely stunned by the act. "W-What the- Louise what are you doing?"

"Idiot!" Louise cried as she began beating on Ryoga's chest weakly. "Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot! Ryoga you big idiot! Why did you leave me alone to spend time with her? You're a big idiot! An idiot!"

"What are you talking about!? The heck's wrong with you!?" Ryoga shouted trying to back away. Louise refused to let him and grabbed him close once again.

"How could you be so cruel as to ask what's wrong? You know what's wrong you idiot! How else am I supposed to act when I love you so much!"

"HUH!?"

Even Cat Shark looked like it didn't have a clue how to react or respond to that revelation. It just watched its' master continue to try and pull Louise off and her refuse to let go. It was like a tug of war between bodies. It was the knocking at the door that removed its' attention from the scene and made it fly over to open the door up and see who it was.

The door opened to reveal Montmorency, who after taking one look at the scene happening, held her head and let out an exasperated sigh. "I knew it. It did happen after all."

Cat Shark blinked and tilted its' head. Louise continued to grab Ryoga and cry. And the former Barian…screamed.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON!?"

* * *

Kirche couldn't sleep, and it wasn't because she was sleeping on a sofa with a single pillow and blanket. No, the reason for her awakened state was Tabitha. Looking across the room at the large queen-sized bed, she watched the small bookworm who was fast asleep, having immediately drifted into her dreams the moment she fell on the bed.

"Although I promised...this certainly will be no ordinary task," Kirche muttered as her thoughts drifted to earlier.

* * *

 _"Didn't you say that the Miss introduces herself as Tabitha?" Percerin asked._

 _"That's right," Kirche confirmed._

 _"I see," the butler let out another sigh. "The Madame was a very busy person you see, but the young Miss always tried to keep an open and bright disposition. It didn't change that the young Miss felt quite lonely at times. Seeing this, the Madame went into the city and selected a doll especially for the young Miss during her busy schedule. The Miss was so very happy and treated it as though it were a sister. Now that same doll is in the hands of Madame, and because of the current state of her mind she believes the doll to be Miss Charlotte."_

 _Kirche's eyes fully opened in startled realization. "You mean…"_

 _Percerin nodded. "Tabitha. That is the name the young Miss gave to the doll."_

 _Kirche had nothing to say to such information. It was…so cruel. Suddenly the door to the room opened and Tabitha walked in, her usual calm and stoic face present and accounted for._

 _Percerin bowed, hiding his painful expression and walked over to her before handing her a letter from his pocket. "These are the instructions from the royal family."_

" _A direct order?" Kirche wondered. She watched Tabitha remove the seal after receiving the letter and begin to read it casually. She said nothing and when she finished reading she nodded lightly._

 _"When do you intend to begin?" Percerin asked._

 _"Tomorrow," Tabitha answered as if she was just scheduling a stroll._

 _"Understood, I will convey this to the envoys. I wish you safety on your completion of this task," the butler bowed solemnly and left the room._

" _So then…the reason you came home all for that?" Kirche questioned._

 _"Wait here," Tabitha responded with an order._

 _Kirche shook her head. "Sorry, but I heard everything from him. I'm also coming."_

 _"Dangerous."_

 _"I can't let you go alone. That's why I'm going too," Kirche gave a bright smile to her friend. It was fake, but it gave the message that she wouldn't take no as an answer._

 _Tabitha didn't reply. She simply lowered her head lightly and gave a nod._

* * *

"I said I would go, but this is a really big deal, huh?" Kirche whispered. It was very likely that they could die attempting to complete this task. But as a noble, the risk of death had always been in the not-so-distant future. Compared to that, she was more worried about this child.

That was what Tabitha truly was, wasn't she? Turning in her bed the bluenette didn't look like her usual self. Instead with her glasses now gone, her sleeping face was that of an innocent young girl. A child slumbering away from the corruption and disaster of the world around her.

It didn't change that she was shouldering unhappiness that didn't suit her age. The distinguished services that had conferred her the title of Chevalier, and the difficult assignment that she had to complete. What incredible loneliness this child must have endured to reach this point of life.

"Mother," Tabitha muttered in her sleep. "Mother, don't drink it! Mother!"

Tabitha called for her mother many times while sleeping. Her forehead constantly kept sweating with more intensity after each call. It was a sight Kirche had never seen before, and it made her heart ache with unrecognizable pain.

" _You don't know the first thing about love!"_

Kirche gently stood from the couch and walked over to Tabitha's bed. She laid on the mattress next to Tabitha and wrapped her arms around her, embracing her closely. Tabitha buried her head in Kirche's chest, the Germanian's warmth and heartbeat passing onto her as they lay there.

It felt like a mother's warmth.

Tabitha soon became calm again, her night sweat leaving her as she settled in Kirche's bosom. As for Kirche, she thought that she now understood the reason why Tabitha treated her as a friend. Her heart, cold and uncaring as it may have tried to be, hadn't been totally frozen. Some warmth still remained within it. Only the icy wind that flowed around her blocked it.

Maybe that was why she hung around Kirche. Maybe she felt the fire inside the redhead's heart and thought it could melt it. Or maybe she just wanted someone who was her opposite, someone who was so passionate and wild, to stay beside her and help her not feel alone.

"I finally get it now…" Kirche smiled as she looked down at the head of blue hair. "I get what you meant, darling."

Her darling. Her sweet Ryoga. How cold he was to her after seeing through her ploy to be with him. And yet that only drew her more to him. There was something about him, something she'd never felt before, never known, that made her emotions flare with a heat she hadn't experienced. She wanted it more, wanted to feel that same flame and share it with him. But when he fought against Fouquet, when he showed that power, that ferocity, that cold swiftness…she became something she never thought imaginable.

She became afraid.

She almost laughed out loud when she realized it. Her, Kirche Augusta Frederica von Anhalt-Zerbst, afraid? How laughable indeed. The Zerbst family didn't know fear, they knew only passion! Desire! Lust! Those were the traits of the Germanian military family.

So why then did they mean nothing before Ryoga?

She knew why, she just didn't want to admit it. Ever since she dragged Ryoga to her room, her mind had always been on the words he spoke to her. About not knowing love, about how she used people and cared only for herself. She ignored it at first thinking it to be of little concern, but after watching her darling defeat Fouquet she could no longer ignore the voice or why she grew afraid of him.

Ryoga was her opposite. Where she manipulated people and their love, he was honest and truthful to them no matter how harsh it was. Where she looked out for herself, he stood up for others. Where she was a fierce inferno, he was a vast ocean that could change on a dime.

He was her opposite, and it was why she both wanted him and feared him. And why now, after discovering Tabitha's history, that she finally understood what he was saying to her.

"You were right all along," Kirche chuckled. "I am selfish. I'm greedy, spoiled, and I don't care who I hurt. It's sad really, but you can't expect a girl like me to change so easily. It's just my nature. How I was raised."

She looked down to Tabitha. The young child nuzzled gently into her chest, muttering a quiet "mother" against it, making the redhead smile.

"But you're wrong about one thing darling," Kirche gently caressed the blue head and leaned her own against it. "I do know what love is. And right now, in this moment, I'm willing to give up who I am to share that love with this child. I wonder what you'd think seeing me like this? Maybe you'd fall for me instantly."

She chuckled quietly to herself as her eyes slowly began to close. Just before sleep took her she whispered in a gentle manner to Tabitha one more time.

"Hey Charlotte. The 'Ardent' warms and melts everything it touches you know. So you can rest at ease. I'll melt away all those fears and burn anything that harms you."

* * *

 **INTO THE VRAINS!**

 **MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU!**

 **GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL 2!**

 **AND HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! I'M 26!**

 **...have I mentioned how much I love my birthday month?**

 **Hey guys! To celebrate the new series I have tried to work around posting this new chapter either on my birthday (which was May 5th) or today for Vrains preview. Unfortunately my beta reader was busy so I had to rely on doing this myself. Hope it's good and nothing seems out of place!**

 **In any case, review time! First for chapter 21!**

 **jordanlink7856: Hehe, yeah. I'm glad you like that. As you said, neither are that similar, but at the same time, when you think on it, they both share a love/hate relationship with Ryoga that's similar in how they always fight and argue. Also the fact is, Ryoga and Louise both have sibling issues, so it's another way they can connect.**

 **ZFlame1: Not a problem. As for your new question, there is a possible one. The only way to send him out of this dimension...would technically be to banish him from it. The problem is, you have no way of knowing which dimension he could end up in because of how the alternate worlds and realities work. At the top of head I can't think of a card that can send him back home, but if there was a way to send him SPECIFICALLY back home through another dimensional rift, I wouldn't know how. Though if Dimensional Fissure is activated, a continuous rip in space would open...so who knows...maybe he could jump into it and it would possibly send him back. The issue would be getting into the fissure...or dying so the effect would absorb him...and since he's died how many times now...yeah.**

 **duskrider: Thank you. As to your question... *points above* That answer? *grins***

 **Omega Porunga: Updated. Your very welcome! ;3. Hope you really loved this chapter as well. But yes, Ryoga would have to be homesick at some point. He doesn't have the familiar crest, so its' not like anything is repressing his feelings on the homesickness (though even if it tried, Barian Pendant for the win!). As for what card...trust me when I say, I got SOME ideas in mind *grins evily***

 **Guest1: That would be a cool idea and one I have considered. The story of the king of hope...hehe. A tale to inspire and give hope to the world after what happens...certainly an inspiring tale.**

 **NOW FOR THE OTHER CHAPTER REVIEWS:**

 **Chapter 1: ivan006159: Thank you, though if you meant chapter 21, THANK YOU ANYWAYS!**

 **Chapter 1: jordanlink7856: wow...I...wow...thank you man. Thank you so much...thank you. I appreciate your support and thank you for giving such a review for that chapter so it can help invite people. Thank you very much ^.^ I can never give enough appreciation for it.**

 **Chapter 11: Guest2: Haha, yeah. Sorry for that. Like I said, first story so I wanted to build up to the actual Duel Monsters power. May have overdone it a bit so I apologize, but I don't regret it. Still, I'm glad you enjoy the story. Thank you for the support :3**

 **So thats that. Don't know when next chapter will be, but thank you for the support and wish me luck! And be sure to support and watch the new Vrains series! The first episode is already so unique and different from the others, and I can't wait to see more!**

 **Thank you guys! Take care *holds up vulcan sign* Live long and prosper...and also... *Holds up arm excited***

 **INTO THE VRAINS!**

 ***Teleports into the Link Vrains. Cat Shark appears and meows before doing the same***

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	23. Tears of the Spirit

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works.

* * *

"That is your thirteenth time today, Your Majesty."

Henrietta's head turned up from its' hanged position to face the man in front of her. "Hmm? I'm sorry, what?"

"That sighing. Those of royalty shouldn't do that all the time in front of their subordinates," the man spoke sternly.

"Royalty? Where? Last I recall aren't you the one acting as the King of Tristain?" Henrietta asked with just the slightest hint of bitterness. Princess though she may be, without being officially crowned she wasn't the one truly ruling her kingdom with the power that she could. People still listened and followed her words, certainly, but when regarding foreign affairs or internal politics, she had no grasp over such matters.

Those fell instead to the man before her, Cardinal Mazarin. He was the one acting as current regent and commanding all the political power of Tristain ever since her father passed away. The Cardinal wore a hat like that of a priest and a grey formal suit around his slim and frail-looking body. He looked to be in his forties at the earliest, but his white hair and beard along with his wrinkled skin made him appear far older than that.

"I am not aware," Mazarin replied with indifference. Henrietta knew he was lying though, as he knew everything about everything in Tristain and even throughout Halkeginia. He just pretended that he didn't.

"Then let me tell you," Henrietta said. "Tristain's Royal Family may have its' beauty and wealth, but not its' scepter. You are the one holding that dear Cardinal. 'Bird's bones wearing a gray hat', as the people I believe would say."

Mazarin felt his pride being stung at from the words "bird's bones" coming out of the princess's mouth. "Please don't speak of commoners' rumors so carelessly."

"Why not? They're just rumors."

"Rumors or not, words hold power, especially words coming from you. Even the slightest misplacement of tone could cause untold problems for you and the kingdom."

"Is this concern for me, or for the marriage to the Germanian King?" Henrietta's teal eyes locked firmly onto the Cardinal's own. The man frowned and his posture dropped ever so slightly, giving off the answer to her question and making the princess sigh. "You needn't worry Cardinal. I shall marry the King of Germania, as you told me to."

"We can't help that. An alliance with Germania is extremely important to Tristain." Mazarin explained. "Also, that is the fourteenth time."

"Glad to know you're keeping track. And I already know the importance," Henrietta said saddened.

"Then Your Majesty understands the rebellion being carried out in that 'White Country' Albion under those idiots? Those people can't seem to tolerate the existence of royalty in Halkeginia."

Hearing Albion spoke of brought a new wave of emotions to Henrietta's face. The most forefront being anger. "Impolite, unrefined imbeciles!" She nearly shouted in disgust. "They're trying to hang that poor prince when he has done nothing wrong! Even if the entire world can forgive their actions, Founder Brimir shall not forgive them. _I_ wouldn't forgive them."

"Indeed," Mazarin agreed. "However, Albion's nobility has unsurpassed power. The Albionian Royal Family might not even survive come tomorrow. One of Founder Brimir's three bestowed royalties is going to fall, just like that," the Cardinal gave a shrug of his shoulders. "Though I suppose it doesn't matter. Countries that cannot solve their own internal strife's have no right to exist."

"The Albionian Royal Family is nothing like Germania's!" Henrietta immediately defended. "Regardless of the crisis they face, they're all my relatives. You have no right to say such things, even as Cardinal."

"I humbly apologize and will ask for forgiveness from Founder Brimir before I go to bed tonight. However, what I just said is the truth, Your Majesty," Mazarin continued undeterred by the anger. "Word is that those stupid Albion nobles have the gall to declare how they're going to unite all of Halkeginia as one, and from the sounds of it, it certainly seems like they would set their sights on Tristain next after extinguishing their own royalty. If that really turns out to be the case, then it will be too late to defend ourselves if we don't take steps to prepare right now."

Henrietta frowned and turned her gaze to the nearby window, trying to ignore the old man's words and pretend it was nothing but useless spiel and drabble. Despite her best efforts though her mind couldn't ignore this. The civil war in Albion was indeed a true danger, one that was constantly growing by the day. The more time passed the worse the news became, with the nobles there growing further out of control and taking more power for themselves. It was only a matter of time before the entirety of the kingdom was overthrown and the last remaining member of royalty there fell to the incursion.

Such thoughts brought an aching pain to the princess's heart. One she struggled to visibly contain so as not to let the Cardinal notice.

"Reading the opponent's actions and countering it at the first available opportunity is true politics, Your Majesty," Mazarin continued speaking. Henrietta snapped out of her thoughts and refocused her attention on the man. Whether he noticed her worries or not was unclear. "If we can create an alliance with Germania, then we can create a covenant to counter Albion's new government, and ensure this little country's survival. It is a necessity to this land and its' people."

"I know," Henrietta sighed. Seeing this Mazarin frowned and raised his hands before clapping them several times in a loud manner.

The door to the room opened up and a new figure swiftly stepped inside. It was a young man with a breathtakingly sharp-looking appearance, sporting a feather-hat and a long grey beard and moustache. His sharp eagle-like eyes immediately latched onto the two nobles as he walked towards them, his black cape flowing behind him gracefully with a medal of a griffin clasped to the front for display.

This man was Captain Lord Wardes, the leader of one of three Mage Guard divisions known as the Griffin Knights. Wielding formidable magical prowess, the Mage Guard was organized through extremely selective trials amongst nobles, and each member rode a magical beast to his division's name. They were the Tristainian symbols of fear and pride, and Wardes's division was the most memorable amongst the entire Mage Guard, and he the symbol and icon for all nobility, something especially admired by Mazarin.

"You summoned me, Your Highness?" Wardes's eyes twinkled as he approached the table and bowed.

"Lord Wardes, Her Majesty is feeling depressed. Can you get something for us that can cheer her up?" Mazarin suggested.

"Understood," Wardes nodded. Walking to the window he opened the glass frames and looked outside, smiling as he caught sight of some rose bushes in the courtyards just a short distance away. Pulling out a long staff that resembled a rapier from his waist, he chanted a short spell and waved it, causing a small gust to erupt around him and fly towards the bush. The bushes began shaking as petals flew into the air, gathering and uniting together before wrapping up in some long leaves, transforming them into a bouquet.

Levitating the bouquet to himself, Wardes grabbed it and returned to the table. Cardinal Mazarin gave him an appraised look of approval. "May Captain, please present this to Her Majesty yourself, won't you?"

"That would truly be a great honor," Wardes saluted and turned to Henrietta presenting the gift. The purple-haired royal took the gift and extended her left hand to him, which he emotionally held and gave a light kiss too.

"What is your name?" Henrietta asked.

"Your Majesty's Mage Guard, Griffin Knights leader, Lord Wardes," the man replied with a grateful bow of his head.

"A model of nobility," Henrietta noted curiously. "How very fine of you."

"I am merely a lowly servant for Your Majesty."

"There have been fewer nobles who would say such lately," Henrietta admitted saddened. "When grandfather, the great Philippe III, still reigned, the whole of nobility shared the kind of marvelous chivalry you present before me now."

"Sad times nowadays, Your Majesty," Wardes agreed with a tilt of his hat.

"Indeed. It is why I am surprised to see such action before me. May I continue to expect your sincerity when I get in such upsetting times again?" Henrietta asked.

Wardes gave a charming smile and bent on one knee with a hand over his chest. "When that happens, no matter where I am, whether in battle or up in the skies, no matter what I must leave behind, I will run over to serve Your Majesty."

Henrietta lightly smiled at the vow, though there was a hint of sorrow behind it. She quickly dispelled it and thanked Wardes before motioning him to leave. The griffin captain saluted once more to her and Mazarin before exiting the room the same way he entered.

"Tell me, is that noble quite capable?" Henrietta inquired to Mazarin once Wardes was out of sight.

"Lord Wardes? Indeed, he is," the Cardinal praised. "His runic name is 'Lightning' and his power and skill on the field of battle are without equal. Even the 'White Country' can only boast of few people who can prove to be a match against him."

Henrietta considered the information. "Wardes…Now that you bring it up, I think I've heard of a noble's territory with that name before."

"I believe you are referring to the Wardes estate. It is close to Lord Valliere's territory."

"Valliere?" Memories of the pink-haired noble and her familiar flashed through Henrietta's mind, making her lips curled upwards ever so slightly. The warmth of just hearing her childhood friend's name always helped in making her feel better. The smile faded however when her thoughts directed themselves towards Louise's familiar, specifically, his rejection of kissing her hand.

Kissing a noble's hand was a sign of either showing respect to that noble, or a way of swearing fealty to them. With members of royalty like herself, the act of kissing a hand was initiating both reasons, as every person who kissed her hand always did so with the intent of showing respect and serving her and her family. She never forced such fealty from them, obviously, but they always did so knowingly and willingly. Even after the first time, any other kiss was considered one of the highest gifts to be given. A treasure that showed not only the recognition of their princess, but their continued loyalty to the royal family and the kingdom.

And yet…he refused. Kamishiro Ryoga refused to kiss her hand. In fact, he didn't just refuse, he flat out rejected it. Sure, she was used to people refusing rewards or presents granted by the castle since they felt serving her family was more than reward enough, Louise being a prime example of that, but she'd never had someone reject her hand and say they wouldn't be loyal to her. It was such a shocking blow to the princess that she didn't know how to even respond to such an act.

But perhaps most surprising of all, were the words that the purple-clad boy had spoken to her, for they were what stuck to her most.

" _Loyalty isn't something you just give away to someone. It's supposed to mean that you trust that person completely. That you trust them with your life and would follow them into death itself, and that they would do the same for you. It's a bond that no matter what you do or how much pain you've caused, you will always stand by that person's side and help them through whatever ails them, even if that means calling them out on when they're wrong."_

" _How strange…"_ Henrietta looked out to the window again as her mind drifted. _"To think I had almost forgotten. How long has it been since anybody spoke of loyalty in such a manner?"_ She wondered. The only people she could even remember speaking such similar words were her father before he died, and her most trusted Chevalier. In recent years many nobles simply swore loyalty out of tradition and promise rather than _true_ loyalty. Her dear Louise was one of the few who truly understood the different between swearing loyalty and truly meaning it, and Henrietta was forever grateful that her friend never lost sight of that.

And now, after all this time, another person appeared before her who also possessed such understanding. A person outside of Lousie and her Chevalier who saw fit to remind her of what true loyalty was, and had no intention of giving any to her. It was such a strange and confusing mixture of emotions for her, having someone reject her hand, reject _her_ , in such a way. By no means was it bad, but…it wasn't something she understood either.

" _And for it to come from a person who will not swear it to me…Just who are you Kamishiro Ryoga?"_

"Sixteenth time, Your Majesty."

The voice of the Cardinal broke Henrietta's train of thought. Did she sigh again? She didn't even notice. "I apologize. I was simply in thought over what you said."

"Yes, well at least _try_ and look like you're paying attention, would you?" Mazarin spoke slightly irritated from being ignored.

"Of course," Henrietta nodded, making sure to hold back a smile. "Though now that you have my attention again, I have to ask Cardinal, do you remember the name of the noble that caught Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt?"

"I'm afraid not," the old man spoke uninterested.

"You don't?" Henrietta said shocked. "Did you not allow me to knight them just recently?"

"I allowed that only because of you requesting it as a personal favor, but frankly I think it's high time for knighting rules to change," Mazarin said with a firm tone. "I believe one needs to serve in the military to deserve that honor. How can the title of a knight be so easily given away for arresting a thief? We are not some charity after all. Regardless, with how things look between us and Albion, it would not be a good idea to lose our nobles' loyalty due to petty jealousy over titles."

"You love to make decisions without me knowing," Henrietta mumbled.

"It has to be done," Mazarin's tone faded a little, his posture slacking and making him look even older before quickly regaining his firmness. "Speaking of which, Your Majesty, it seems that there is some…instability between the Royal Court and part of the nobility."

"Instability?" Henrietta questioned.

"Something about intervening in the Princess's marriage, and destroying our alliance with Germania."

Henrietta froze. Cold sweat dripped from her forehead as her hands trembled beneath the table.

"You have not been exposed to them, have you, Your Majesty?" The gaze of the Cardinal locked with the princess.

"…No," Henrietta replied after an extended length of silence.

"I'll take Your Majesty's word for it then," Mazarin broke the intense stare and leaned back in his chair.

"I am the Princess. I do not lie," Henrietta stated.

"It is as you say. Just remember, as royalty, your country's stability comes before your feelings."

 _"Only a handful of people have managed to earn my loyalty. So why would I ever give it away to someone I don't even know or trust? Especially when it's a ruler who will always have to put her kingdom first before any of those precious to her?"_

Henrietta's fingers tightened on the bouquet as her eyes gained a look of dejection. "I'm like that all the time," she replied apathetically. She looked back to the flowers in her hands, their splendor and grace doing nothing to ease the burden in her heart. "The flowers from the garden are certainly beautiful, aren't they Cardinal?"

"Who can say? All I know is a flower picked to a person's hands is the flower's blessing."

* * *

"Ryoga!" Louise cried out as she moved through the dining hall. "Ryoga! Where are you, Ryoga!?"

Louise's pink hair waved back and forth as her head moved around and searched for the water Duelist, her eyes resembling that of a lost puppy looking for its' master, which given the role between her and Ryoga, was quite ironic. The other students nearby either watched or ignored the pink-haired girl, having long since become used to the sight of her hunting the familiar down.

What they weren't aware of was that Louise wasn't seeking Ryoga out to hurt him or yell at him…well maybe yell a little…but out of love, not anger! They couldn't possibly understand her desire to be at his side and express that love to him! To have him hold her, kiss her, whisper sweet words and loveliness in her ears as they embraced under the moonlight. The mere thought of such emotions and desires made her face brighten like a tomato and give a cheerful smile.

The only issue was that Ryoga was nowhere to be found! When she awoke this morning, she found no trace of the Duelist or Cat Shark anywhere in their room, causing her to nearly break down into tears from the loneliness. How could he just leave her like that after her beautiful confession last night? Did he not understand that every moment they were apart caused her poor heart to ache with such immense pain and loneliness? Wasn't he the one who said he'd be by her side? Where was he then?

It was this desire that made her skip classes and search for him, yet every time she caught him in her sights he immediately ran off. At first it seemed like he wished to play a game of cat and mouse with her, which she was more than happy to oblige, but now it was feeling like he was trying to avoid her.

" _He'll understand,"_ Louise assured herself with determination. _"I just need to show him how serious I am! I'll make him realize just how much I love him, and then he'll return that love to me, and then we can…"_ The pinkette blushed brightly and held her cheeks in embarrassment. _"Ohhh…such thoughts are unbecoming of a noble…but maybe with Ryoga I wouldn't mind…maybe I can…"_

"Good morning, Miss Louise," Katie's voice interrupted the dangerous line of thoughts as she approached the second-year. She stopped when Louise's eyes immediately snapped onto her with a very dangerous glare.

"Oh, it's _you_. What do you want?" The pinkette growled out.

Katie was taken aback from the bite in the pinkette's words and suddenly felt like she'd stepped into a dragon's den. "Uhhh, I just saw you come in and wanted to wish you good morning. Why, is there something wrong?"

"Everything's fine. _Perfect_ even. No need for _you_ to be involved," Louise huffed.

"Are you sure?" Katie asked. "I noticed you calling out for Sir Shark a moment ago. If you're looking for him I'm afraid he isn't around here right now."

"And just _where_ would he be then?" Louise questioned.

"I'm not sure. I haven't seen him all day I'm afraid," Katie replied.

"Oh, I'm _sure_ you haven't."

"Excuse me?"

Katie's eyes widened when Louise thrust a finger in her face. "You think you can be all cozy and lovey dovey with Ryoga and I wouldn't notice!? Don't underestimate a maiden in love!" The pinkette yelled. "Ryoga is mine, got it!? I love him, and I won't hand him over to anyone else! Especially not to some cute first-year student who's younger than me but has larger breast, you cow!"

"H-Huh!?" Katie's face turned red at the last comment, her arms instinctively moving to cover her chest as if feeling violated. "W-What are you saying, Miss Louise!?"

"Just stay away from Ryoga!" Louise declared before walking past the first-year and out of the dining hall, the eyes of everyone in the room watching with shock and confusion.

"Wha…what just…happened?" Katie asked nobody in particular, her own expression matching those of everyone else. It took a few more seconds before she snapped out of her state and refocused. After checking to make sure that Louise was nowhere to be found she moved to the table beside her and gently knocked on the counter top. "I believe she's gone now. You can come out, Sir Shark."

Much to the surprise of anyone watching, the table cloth moved as Ryoga crawled out from underneath it. Following swiftly behind him was Cat Shark, who meowed loudly and stretched its' limbs, having felt them cramp from the small space.

"Finally," Ryoga mumbled while he cracked his neck. "Geeze, I knew she could be fiery and all, but this is ridiculous."

"Such is the negatives of love, partner," Derflinger commented from his sheath.

"Mrrow," Cat Shark agreed.

"Miss Louise certainly seemed more… _spirited_ than usual," Katie gave her own thoughts out.

"That goes without saying. Didn't think she'd suddenly start yelling at you though," Ryoga turned to the first-year with a concerned look. "You alright? She didn't hurt you or anything, did she?"

"N-No, not at all! I'm fine, she just…" Katie's face flustered from remembering the comment on her chest. "…caught me off guard a little."

"I can imagine. Still, sorry to have you pulled in like that," Ryoga apologized.

"Mrrow," Cat Shark nodded in apology as well.

"It's alright. Like I said I'm perfectly fine, really," Katie reassured with a gentle smile to the Duelist. It then disappeared as a look of curiosity appeared on the first-year. "Though…if it's not too intrusive, may I ask what's going on? Miss Louise seemed quite desperate to find you."

Ryoga groaned loudly and pinched the brow between his eyes. "Don't remind me. I've been trying to avoid her all damn day."

"Why? Did something happen between you two?"

"That's one way of putting it."

"Does it…I mean…" The full impact of Louise's words were now starting to hit Katie, as her face turned red and she looked down to the floor, finding it suddenly far more interesting to look at. "I-It's just, M-Miss Louise said something kind of funny, you know? Hehe…s-she ummm…said that…that she…u-uhhh…that she…l-l-l-"

"Loved me?"

Katie felt her chest pulse with a familiar pain as she nodded. "Y-Yes…" She shook her head rapidly and bowed. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't know you two were suddenly like that! I-I shouldn't intrude. A-And I mean it only make sense you would-"

"Hey, hey, slow down!" Ryoga put a hand on the brunette's shoulder and pulled her back up to look at him. "It's not like that at all, it's-" He cut off and looked around to see the other students watching. A single glare sent their way quickly turned their attention elsewhere. He then looked back at Katie and considered what to do next before speaking. "Look, let's talk someplace private, alright? Too many ears around, and right now I could really use a friend who'd be willing to listen to me rant for a bit."

Katie seemed confused but nodded and followed Ryoga and Cat Shark out of the dining hall. They soon found themselves in the staff kitchen, where after Ryoga spoke with Marteau for a bit, the head chef let the group into a small break room in the back for privacy before locking the door so they wouldn't be disturbed.

"This should be secure enough for us to speak openly now," Ryoga said as he took a seat and Cat Shark laid on the floor beside him. He noticed Katie looking around with a semi-dazed look. "Katie?"

"Huh?" Katie broke from her trance and turned back to the purple teen. "Oh, I-I'm sorry. It's just, this is my first time being in the staff kitchen. I was just curious about everything here."

Ryoga chuckled. "I suppose being a noble does make the simple things in life a little more interesting."

"I suppose so," Katie giggled before taking a seat across from Ryoga. "So then…what is it you wanted to tell me?"

"Before I get into that, I need you to promise something," Ryoga's gaze became stern and his tone a lot more serious. "I need you to swear that whatever you hear in this room, you won't tell anyone else, got it? Not the other students, not the professors, and especially not the old man headmaster."

"From Headmaster Osmond?" Katie questioned surprised.

"That's right. He especially cannot know about this," Ryoga insisted.

"To keep this from the headmaster…" Katie was starting to become worried about what she was going to hear. "Is it really that serious, Sir Shark?"

"It is."

Katie fell silent for a moment before nodding. "Very well. I promise."

Her words brought a sigh of relief from Ryoga. He leaned back in his seat and tried his best to relax, considering what would happen next would stress the hell out of him.

"So…what do you know about love potions?"

* * *

" _What did you do?"_

" _Excuse me?"_

" _What. Did. You. DO!?" Ryoga's head snapped to Montmorency, making her jump back in fear from the vicious glare sent her way._

" _I-I don't know what you mean!" The blonde insisted._

" _Don't bullshit me!" Ryoga nearly shouted._

" _Calm down, Ryoga," Guiche spoke as he tried to put himself between two. With Montmorency having run off all of a sudden, he quickly made to pursue in fear he'd done something wrong. He certainly didn't expect to end up at Louise's room though, nor to witness the Zero say something as insane as being in love with her familiar._

" _I'll calm down once_ she _-" Ryoga directed a finger at Montmorency. "-tells me what she did to her!" He moved his finger to Louise, who was peacefully sleeping on her bed after having exhausted herself from crying. Cat Shark laid next to her to help her sleep, but was still watching the others out of curiosity._

" _What makes you think I did anything!?" Montmorency demanded._

" _Your presence."_

" _Huh!?"_

" _Your very presence here tells me all I need to know," Ryoga stated as if it was the most obvious answer in the world._

" _I'm not sure I understand," Guiche said confused._

" _Tell me Guiche, why are you here?" The water Duelist asked._

" _Why I'm here to protect my lovely Montmorency of course!" Guiche boasted._

" _Alright, but why is she here then?" Ryoga pointed to Montmorency again._

 _The playboy paused and went into thought. "That's a good question. My darling Montmorency, why are you here?"_

" _W-Well, uhhh…" Montmorency's eyes tried to look at anything except the two boys._

" _That's not all," Ryoga continued. "When you came into this room you said something. I was distracted by Louise so I'm not sure I heard it correctly, but I'm pretty sure it was something along the lines of 'It did happen after all', right?" He moved closer as his eyes became dangerous. "What, exactly, did happen?"_

" _Montmorency?" Guiche gained his own suspicious look as he turned to his fellow blonde._

 _Sweat dripped down Montmorency's neck as she looked between the two. She started to shake as she tried to come up with an explanation, but was too panicked to think of anything._

" _I…that…mmmmmmm, GAAAAH!" Montmorency cried out, unable to take it anymore as she threw her hands in the air. "It's not my fault! That child drank it without permission!"_

" _Drank it?" Both males repeated confused._

" _Mrrow mrrow?" Cat Shark repeated from the bedside._

" _That's not the point! It's your fault!" Montmorency hand flew at Guiche, poking his nose with her finger. With the anger now reversed Guiche leaned back in nervousness and a bit of fear from the look his love was giving him. "It's because you're always fooling around! You're the one who started this to begin with!"_

" _Don't you try and change the subject!" Ryoga grabbed Montmorency's wrist and pulled her forward to face him. "What did you make Louise drink!?"_

" _I-I didn't make her drink it! She drank it herself!" Montmorency said._

" _Drank it herself…oh!" Guiche clapped his hands together in realization. "You mean the wine?"_

" _Wine?" Ryoga questioned._

" _Yes. My dear Montmorency brought wine for us to drink and celebrate a beautiful night together," Guiche explained. "Before we could finish though Louise came up and took Montmorency's glass for herself. It was quite rude of her, but she did seem rather upset about something now that I think on it. She probably took the glass as a way of trying to calm herself down."_

 _Ryoga's glare turned back on Montmorency, who looked rather pale and tried to break out of his grip. He made sure to tighten it further. "A single glass wouldn't make anyone do what Louise did. She felt like she was running a high fever for Kami's sake."_

" _T-There are things such as lightweights you know," Montmorency tried to insist._

" _Enough games!" Ryoga's grip caused the female noble to yelp in pain._

" _Ryoga, you're hurting her!" Guiche yelled._

" _I'll do worse if she doesn't tell me what she put in that wine! NOW!"_

 _Montmorency gasped at the glare from the ocean-eyed teen. Though right now, his eyes looked nothing like an ocean. It was more akin to that of a powerful predator staring down at weak and defenseless prey. She could feel the air around her choking, and had the feeling if she even tried to lie again she wouldn't get out of this in one piece._

 _Knowing she was cornered, Montmorency hung her head and gave in. "…Love potion."_

 _Ryoga's eyes went wide. "Love potion?"_

" _Love potion!?" Guiche shouted in shock._

" _Mrrow mrrow?" Cat Shark mimicked again._

" _Not so loud you idiot! It's banned remember?" Montmorency chastised. Ryoga's grip released on her wrist, which she quickly began rubbing to ease the pain._

" _Explain. Now," The former Barian demanded._

 _Montmorency flinched from the tone but nodded. "A-Alright, alright. Just not here. It'll be easier to explain in my room."_

 _Ryoga grumbled but didn't argue back. After ordering Cat Shark to stay and watch Louise he followed the two blondes back to Montmorency's room, the tense atmosphere they carried being enough to send anyone scampering if they weren't already asleep in their beds. Once they arrived Montmorency explained how she first made the potion as nothing more than an experiment, a way of seeing if she even could do it, but then decided to use it on Guiche by putting it in his drink. The same drink Louise ended up taking instead._

" _It was a mistake, an accident that was never meant to happen. You just happened to be the first person she saw when it started taking effect," Montmorency explained. Ryoga didn't say anything and just looked to be in thought, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the doorframe similar to last time._

" _Montmorency, you cared so much for me…" Guiche's eyes glistened with delight. "Oh, so touching! To try so hard and capture my heart, I could die right now from joy!"_

" _Hah! You think that I did it for you?" Montmorency declared, the blush on her cheeks quickly being replaced with an arrogant scowl. "I wouldn't bother wasting my time on something like that. I could have done it with anyone. It was just merely unpleasant for you to have affairs behind my back!"_

 _Even in a situation like this, the pride of Tristainian nobles always seemed to take priority over anything else. Such was the self-conceited and arrogant nature they possessed._

" _Do not worry about me having an affair! I am your servant forever!" Guiche embraced Montmorency closely. Then, holding her cheek, he leaned forward and tried to kiss her. Montmorency "eeped" startled and shut her eyes in preparation._

 _ **SHINK!**_

 _The two blondes jumped back in fright when something swift and small flew between them and imbedded in the wall beside them. Looking to the threat to their lips, they saw that it was one of Ryoga's cards, specifically, it was none other than Big Jaws, which upon seeing the picture of the beast made Guiche shiver with fear._

" _If you two don't take this seriously I promise I'll have him hunt you both down for practice," Ryoga threatened dangerously. The two nodded and quickly separated, not willing to entice the anger of the boy before them. He then turned his gaze on Montmorency. "You, can you fix what's been done to Louise?"_

" _W-Well yes but-"_

" _Then do it."_

" _Don't make it sound so easy!" Montmorency complained. "Besides, the effects of the potion aren't permanent. She'll return to normal sooner or later."_

" _Define 'sooner or later,'" Ryoga inquired._

 _Montmorency flinched and looked doubtful. "Well, each person's physiology is different. It could take days, months…" she noticed Ryoga's glare grow harder. "…a year maybe?"_

" _A YEAR!?" The former Barian screamed._

" _Y-You were planning to have me drink something like that!?" Guiche turned pale, his previous thoughts of happiness fading into dust at the thought of such enslavement._

" _Fuck that," Ryoga stepped away from the door and stomped towards Montmorency, making her back up fearfully. He didn't allow it as he grabbed her by the collar and pulled her face-to-face. "You can make an antidote, right? Then do it!"_

" _I-I told you, don't make it sound so easy!" Montmorency spoke shakily. "Even if I wanted to I can't! I used up all the drugs I had just to make the love potion. I don't have anything left to make the antidote, and even then, they're very expensive to buy."_

" _Don't screw with me! You're a noble. Getting money is like a cakewalk for you guys."_

" _Actually Ryoga, she has a point," Guiche intervened. "Although we are nobles, we are also students. We don't have any direct links to our family's fortune. It is the older members of our family that hold our territory and money."_

" _So? Just ask them for more then," Ryoga countered._

 _Guiche sighed and raised his forefinger in a wagging motion. "So naive. Listen, there are two kinds of nobles in this world. The first are nobles that do not have the good fortune of money, and second are nobles that do have money. For instance, de Montmorency, Montmorency's family, is a failure when it comes to land reclamation, and the management of their territory is horrible."_

 _Montmorency's brow twitched angrily. "Or like the de Gramont house, Guiche's family, that for the sake of honor got involved in a war and wasted all of their money."_

 _Guiche gave a nervous chuckle before quickly regaining his posture. "A-Anyways, the point is that despite what you may believe, there are moneyless nobles. Actually, and I am not exaggerating here, more than half the nobles in the world have enough money only to maintain their residence and the territory around it at best. Though I doubt a commoner like you can understand the hardships of keeping the honor and pride of nobility."_

 _Ryoga's free hand clenched into a fist at his side while the one holding Montmorency tightened. Eventually they both loosened and he released Montmorency. "Idiots…fucking idiots," he muttered angrily before walking towards the door. "Wait here."_

 _The water user slammed the door behind him, leaving the two blondes in a state of confusion and worry. They looked at each other for answers but found none and decided to just stay put where they were. After a few minutes, the door reopened as Ryoga stepped back into the room, this time holding a small leather bag in his hand._

" _Will this do?" Ryoga tossed the bag onto the table in the room. Montmorency looked at it suspiciously before walking over and checking inside. Her eyes shot fully open at the sight._

" _W-Wha- how? W-Where did you get this?" She stuttered. Guiche walked over curious and looked for himself, quickly gaining the same reaction on his face._

" _How do you have so much money!?" The playboy shouted._

" _Doesn't matter," Ryoga coldly stated. He had no intention of indulging these two any further then necessary. He was just glad that after all this time the payments from the old man finally had a use to him. "Will this be enough?"_

" _Y-Yes, it should be," Montmorency nodded, still wondering how a commoner could possess such money._

" _Then buy what you need and make the antidote, got it?"_

" _I-I will. But it will still take some time to gather the ingredients and make the potion. At least a day or two."_

" _Then you better get started first thing tomorrow," Ryoga walked past her and pulled Big Jaws out from his spot on the wall. "Otherwise, Big Jaws's next meal will consist of medium rare noble._ Blonde _noble."_

 _No further threat was needed._

* * *

"After that I went back to check on Louise and found she was still asleep. I was half-temped to wake her up and try talking with her, but decided against it. I didn't, and still don't, fully understand everything the potion did to her, and was worried about what she'd do when she saw me again. The last thing I wanted was to make things worse. So instead I decided to come here and ask Marteau, the big guy from earlier, to let me stay here for the night. I figured putting space between us might help to calm Louise down and lessen the effects of the potion. Though as you saw earlier, it doesn't seem to have done anything. Actually, I'm sure it only made things worse."

Katie stayed silent, her mind taking in everything Ryoga told her. Eventually she rediscovered her voice and responded. "Wow…I never realized Miss Montmorency cared so much about Guiche that way."

" _That's_ what you focused on?" Ryoga said in disbelief.

"She's a girl partner. They're all into that romance thing," Derf remarked.

"N-No, I didn't mean it like that!" Katie quickly said. "I-It's just I didn't think she'd go so far as to make a love potion. They're forbidden by law after all."

"Didn't stop her from being stupid enough to make one," Ryoga mumbled.

"Oh…right," Katie chuckled sheepishly. "So, how did that lead to you being chased around?"

Ryoga gave another sigh. "Well…"

* * *

 _It was late in the afternoon of the next day when Ryoga made his way back to his and Louise's room, ready to confront the pink-haired chibi. He originally intended to return during the morning but decided against it, as he still wasn't certain what to do regarding the current situation. Thankfully, Marteau had the best idea of how to help him in that regard; have him work on cleaning dishes in the kitchen._

 _Excuses of using someone's troubled state as a way to generate extra helping hands aside, the work actually did help to clear Ryoga's head and thoughts a little better. He also discussed the situation in more detail with Siesta, who he noticed becoming a lot more irritable during their conversation, specifically when he mentioned Louise jumping on him and going crazy about her "love" for him. She probably disliked the idea of such manipulation as much as he did. She was forced into servitude to that bastard Count after all._

 _Regardless, he now had a game plan on what to do. First, was to try and get it through to Louise that she was under the effects of a love potion. The chance of this succeeding was slim to none, but he needed to try and get through to her, or at the very least see just how much control the potion had over her. Second, was to determine how she spoke and reacted around him in a more "normal" state then her breakdown from before. He needed to know just what kind of new personality he was dealing with and what Louise would do while under it. Considering her first act was to jump on him and the hug him while balling her eyes out, he knew full well it was only the start of whatever was to come. Once he had a grip on that, it would lead to the final step of keeping Louise calm and under control until she was given the antidote._

 _It was a solid and simple-sounding plan, but the actually execution was something that couldn't be predicted. That would be determined now, as Ryoga stood before the door to the room, his body tensed up and prepared for anything._

" _I still don't think this is a good idea partner," Derflinger said from Ryoga's waist._

" _Whether it is or isn't, I can't just leave her in there to handle this alone," the Duelist looked at the door handle and steeled himself. He grabbed the handle and slowly pushed the door open to enter._

 _Upon entering Ryoga noticed an immediate difference from the last time he was here. A cigarette-like smoke filled the entire room, though the scent was far from the unsavory tobacco substance, instead holding a very sweet aroma that tickled Ryoga's nose. The source came from several burning joss-sticks scattered all around the room._

"Incense? Since when did this world have those?" _Ryoga thought before noticing the form of Louise sitting in the middle of the room, surrounded by a circle of the fuming sticks. She turned and her eyes widened upon seeing him before turning watery._

" _Where have you been…?" Louise asked with a sulky look. "You left me all alone…"_

 _Ryoga didn't process an answer since he was taken aback by something else. "Where are your clothes!?"_

 _Louise wasn't wearing her standard school uniform. That was discarded to the side on the floor. Instead the only things she wore were her usual black thigh-high stockings and one of her larger white button-up shirts, with the upper buttons left open and the outfit hanging loosely over her body. She wasn't even wearing a skirt! In fact, given her current sitting position the only thing covering her lower waist was the shirt itself. It couldn't even be seen if she was wearing panties or not._

 _It was an exotic sight of both danger and allure. A sight that lit up giant blinking warning lights in Ryoga's mind._

" _I didn't want them," Louise answered._

" _Didn't wan- what!?" Ryoga nearly shouted. He diverted his gaze from the pinkette, not trusting himself at looking anywhere that he shouldn't. "Nevermind, j-just put on some proper clothes, would you?"_

" _I-I won't!" Louise refused._

" _What? Why?" Ryoga questioned._

" _Because I'm not sexy enough!" Louise cried out in a weeping voice. "I know this because night after night Ryoga sleeps next to me, but doesn't do anything to me! I'm not beautiful or pretty like Kirche or that maid! I'm j-just flat and small. I'm not nearly as attractive as them! I know because Ryoga always looks at them and never me!"_

" _What are you talking about? I don't do anything like that!"_

" _Lies! I saw you k-k-kissing that m-maid!"_

 _The former king's face turned beat red. "H-Huh?"_

" _Yesterday, I saw you two out in the courtyard. You were both on the ground and e-e-embracing each other!" Louise wailed, looking like a kicked puppy._

 _A horrid feeling swelled in Ryoga's stomach. Didn't Guiche mention how Louise looked upset when she drank the potion? He didn't think on it at the time, but hearing this now put the pieces together. She drank the potion because she caught him and Siesta in that awkward position._

 _Then…was this partially his fault? Did he cause this?_

 _Ryoga shook his head. Now wasn't the time to get caught in such thoughts. Remember why he was here dammit. "It wasn't anything like that," he rebutted the accusation. "I just tripped when she went to hug me. It was an accident, nothing more."_

" _So you did embrace!"_

" _No! I mean, yes? I mean, agh!" The Duelist felt a migraine coming on. "Louise, listen, this isn't you alright? Right now, you're being manipulated by a love potion Montmorency made. Whatever you're thinking, whatever you're feeling, it isn't real!"_

" _It is real!" Louise looked straight at Ryoga when she shouted. "These feelings are not because of some stupid potion! It's real! I know it's real, because whenever I look at Ryoga my heart starts beating wildly," the Valliere lowered her head and placed a hand over her chest. "Not only that…I cannot breathe, and I feel so helpless. So lonely…" her body began shaking as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I was so alone…why did you leave me Ryoga? You promised, didn't you? So why did I wake up alone today? Why did you abandon me?"_

" _Louise…" Ryoga's face softened as he witnessed tears drip down the girl's face and heard her hiccupping. "I…I'm sorry. I didn't realize…" he stopped himself halfway. This was the love potion, not her. It had to be. He shook his head and focused. "Louise, I'm sorry I left you alright? But I only did it to try and find a way to help, I swear."_

 _Louise didn't respond right away and just kept sobbing on the floor. Eventually her tears cleared up enough for her to speak. "I…I had a dream…a nightmare. Ryoga was with other girls in that dream and completely ignored me. You were so mean to me. You left me alone to be with them. I had nobody to protect me when it showed up."_

"It?" _Ryoga wondered._

 _Louise shivered and hugged herself tighter. "It came for me again after so long. With a giant scythe this time too. Why? Why did it come again? Was it because I was alone? Because you weren't there? Why did you leave me Ryoga? Why did you abandon me?" Her tears began to fall once more. Ryoga frowned and kneeled down in front of her, placing a soft hand on her shoulder._

" _Louise, I- gah!"_

 _The water user didn't get to even start his sentence before he was suddenly tackled to the ground. Louise laid on top of him sitting on his waist as her eyes locked onto his face. The sweet smell of her hair was even stronger than the aroma of the incense in the room. She never used perfumes, it was her natural body's smell._

 _"Even so, it was yesterday," Louise spoke softly. "Don't look at any other girls. Don't spend time with them or buy them gifts. You have your master, right?"_

" _L-Louise!" Ryoga's cheeks heated at the close proximity, his danger senses going into overtime. He tried to push himself up only for Louise to suddenly embrace him in a hug, her arms pinning around his. "H-Hey!"_

 _"Tell me truthfully. W-Whom do you love the most in the world?"_

" _Eh!?" Ryoga's face turned redder._

" _I want to hear it. I want to know who Ryoga loves most," Louise repeated, her grip tightening._

"Fucking hell. Is this what a love potion does to someone?" _The water user thought with gritted teeth. This was beyond fucked up. "Louise, stop! This isn't you! It's that damn potion!"_

" _I won't stop…" the pinkette pulled up to gaze at the Duelist. "Ryoga is mine and mine alone. I won't let anyone else steal you away from me," Ryoga's eyes widened as Louise slowly leaned her face closer, her eyelids slowly shutting and her lips pursing together. "I love you Ryoga…"_

 _Ryoga had many thoughts running through his mind. Far too many to make any logical sense out of. They all had one thing in common though. An immediate sense of urgency, fear, and escape, all summarized in a single, simple, word._

 _NOPE!_

 _Louise wasn't sure what happened next. All she knew was one second she was leaning forward to kiss Ryoga, and the next she was upside down on the floor dazed and confused. The sound of a door slamming open and running footsteps were what reset her thoughts and realize that her loving Duelist was nowhere to be seen._

" _Ryoga!"_

* * *

Katie's mouth hung open, her face filled with shock and her cheeks flushed crimson. "Wow…she really tried too-"

"Yes" Ryoga immediately replied.

"Dressed in just her-"

"Yes."

"And in her own-"

"YES! Okay!? Can we stop talking about this already!?" Ryoga shouted pleading.

"S-Sorry!" Katie apologized, finally breaking from her stunned trance. "I-I just…I never expected…I didn't realize it was…that bad…"

"It isn't. It's worse," Ryoga groaned into his palm. "Since then she hasn't stopped chasing me around the school. She's straight out skipping classes just to find me, and I don't even want to _begin_ to imagine the kind of terrors that may come if she does."

"Would probably invo- ack!" Derf was immediately silenced when Ryoga slammed him into his sheath. Clearly the former king was not in the mood for being teased.

"So…what do you plan to do now?" Katie asked.

"What else can I do?" The Duelist removed his palm from his face and stared up at the ceiling. "Until Montmorency finishes the antidote I'm stuck with a pink mess of delusion hunting me down. The best thing I can do right now is try to avoid her to make sure it doesn't get worse."

"But is that really for the best?" The question made Ryoga look back at Katie with confusion. "Well I mean, Miss Louise seemed very upset when I approached her earlier. I may not know the full effects of a love potion, but didn't you say before that being away from her seems to only be making things worse? I know you don't wish to end up in an…" the brunette's cheeks darkened. "… _awkward_ situation like before, but given everything that's already happened, if she continues to remain unhappy wouldn't that just be counterproductive to what you wish for her? Even if she is acting like this, shouldn't you stay with her so you can watch over her better?"

"I agree partner," Derflinger pulled out from his sheath to cut into the conversation. "Running away ain't an answer. And besides, shouldn't you enjoy her company like this while you can? Compared to how she usually is, I would think you'd like a Louise that's easier to control."

"Absolutely not!" Ryoga shouted, his hands slamming hard onto the nearby table. "There is no excuse for controlling someone's mind or emotions! Not now, not ever! Got it!?"

"S-Sir Shark," Katie stuttered shocked from the outburst. Ryoga quickly realized what he did and gained a guilty look.

"Sorry…" the former king apologized. "I just…don't like the topic of mind control."

It brought up too many painful memories, not least of all counting the time Tron had done it to him. It was a level of disgust and violation that couldn't be explained. For Louise to be caught under such an effect without him knowing or being able to do anything to stop it made him feel as powerless as the time Girag and Alito were controlled by Don Thousand.

 _That_ was a memory he would prefer forgetting.

"To answer your question," Ryoga continued. "It's pretty much as you said. I would rather not cause anything to happen between us, especially when such an act would be because of an outside force. I would never be able to forgive myself if something like that happened."

"I understand," Katie said softly. "I would be the same if someone I cared about was under such a spell," the thoughts of "someone she cared about" brought a light fluster to her cheeks that she quickly fought down. "I guess my idea was pretty stupid, huh?"

"It wasn't," Ryoga's answer surprised Katie. "Were it any other circumstance I'd probably be at her side right now, and if it gets any worse I will probably have too, but for now, with how things are I just want to get Louise back to normal as soon as possible. And considering Montmorency said it'd take a day or two to make the antidote, that means I just have to wait out till tonight before I check on the antidote. Then, we can hopefully put this whole thing behind us."

"Mrrow," Cat Shark nuzzled its' master's leg in agreement. Ryoga chuckled and leaned down to scratch its' ears, making it purr in delight.

"Can I come with you?" Katie suddenly asked.

"Come with me? You mean to get the antidote?" Ryoga inquired.

"Yes," Katie nodded. "I know I'm not directly involved with this, but now that I've been told I can't just sit back and do nothing. Even if things should return to the way they were after tonight, I'd still like to be there as moral support for you and Miss Louise. You two are my friends after all."

"Katie…" Ryoga looked stunned before giving a soft chuckle. "Do whatever you'd like."

Katie gave a bright smile and nodded. "Thank you, Sir Shark."

"Don't thank me for something not needing to be thanked. Besides, after tonight, everything should be perfectly fine."

* * *

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU CAN'T MAKE THE ANTIDOTE!?"

Montmorency flinched from the union of the shout and angry glare drilling into her. Maybe she should have chosen her words more carefully.

"It can't be helped! The ingredient I needed was sold out!" The water mage explained. Beside her Guiche nodded, a light scowl on his face. The two of them went into town earlier that morning to get the final piece needed from black-market traders, but there wasn't any trace of it to be found anywhere.

"Sold out? Are you fucking kidding me!?" Ryoga slammed his hand onto the table in anger. This was _not_ how this was supposed to go dammit!

"Sir Shark please, calm down," Katie said trying to ease the purple-haired teen.

"How can I calm down when _this_ is happening right now?" Ryoga growled. "Did you forget that without the antidote Louise is stuck as she is? It's already been two days! She can't keep staying like this!"

"I understand Sir Shark, I do, but getting mad won't make it better. Please, just calm down," Katie pleaded.

"Mrrow mrrow," Cat Shark gave a big teary-eyed look showing how worried it was.

Ryoga released a sound of irritation but stopped himself and closed his eyes as he began trying to steel his emotions and temper. Lashing out at them would serve no purpose, especially when they weren't the ones he was angry with. That right belonged to Montmorency, who upon seeing his glare looked ready to bolt on the spot. "You said it was sold out, right? How long will it be before it's available again?" He asked in as calm a tone he could manage, if only to not worry Katie and Cat Shark any further.

Montmorency looked hesitant to speak but eventually did so. "That…may be uncertain."

"Uncertain?" Katie repeated.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Ryoga's eyes narrowed further.

"The specific ingredient I'm looking for comes from Lagdorian Lake, at the border of Gallia," Montmorency explained. "It's called a Spirit's Tear, and it comes from a Water Spirit of the lake. However, it seems nobody has been able to contact the spirit recently, and without being able to do so there's no way to get the tear."

"Which means no way to get the antidote," Katie concluded.

"And no way to cure Louise," Ryoga's fist tightened at the thought. Without that cure…

"Surely there must be someplace that has it. They can't be all out, can they?" Katie insisted.

"We tried," Guiche spoke with a shake of his head. "We hit every place Montmorency knew of, and even some she and I didn't, but there was none to be found."

"Understand that a Spirit's Tear is something not easily obtained," Montmorency said with an almost lecturing tone. "Even though it's called a tear it's not like you get it from making the spirit cry. I don't think they even can cry. They are…different from us. I do not even know if one can call them living beings, but either way the tear of the Water Spirit is really just a part of its body."

"A part of the spirit's body?" Katie held her chin in thought. "I feel like I've heard something similar before."

"It's not like it's uncommon knowledge. But the point is that the tear is very difficult to obtain even on a regular basis. I still can't imagine how people in the city's black markets manage to do it, but without being able to contact the spirit, there's no chance of getting it now."

A silence took the room as everyone considered the situation. After a moment Ryoga looked back up, the fury in his eyes subdued and replaced with a firm sense of determination.

"You said the spirit is in the lake, right?" The former Barian asked.

"That's right," Montmorency nodded.

"Then the answer is simple. We go to the lake and get the tear ourselves."

"Huh!?" Montmorency gaped in shock. Guiche and Katie shared similar looks. "Now listen here! The Water Spirit rarely shows her face before humans! And even if she did, she is very strong! If angered, the results can be disastrous!"

"I don't care. We're going," Ryoga firmly stated.

"Well I do care! I am absolutely not going!"

Montmorency froze as she felt a heavy pressure land on her and saw Ryoga giving her the same predator-like gaze from last time. "Who ever said you had a choice?" He spoke with a cold and dangerous tone. "Let me make this clear. You _will_ be going. You _will_ be getting the ingredient. And you _will_ make the antidote to cure Louise. If you try to refuse any of these, I won't just feed you to Big Jaws. I'll go straight to the old man and make sure he knows all about this. I'm sure he'd love to hear how a student of his made a love potion and used it on another student. Especially when, oh right, it's illegal."

Montmorency's face quickly turned pale and she rapidly nodded. "F-Fine already! I understand! I will go get it, but you have to come too!"

The pressure died immediately and Ryoga scoffed. "Like I was planning to do any less."

"Are you sure Sir Shark?" Katie asked worried. "If you suddenly up and leave what'll happen to Miss Louise? You can't just leave her by herself."

"That's why I'm bringing her along," the former Barian's answer surprised the first-year. "You said before I can't ignore her, and you were right. This situation's already bad enough as it is, but I made it worse because of me leaving her alone that night and not considering the consequences from it. If she was left here, there's no telling what would happen, and I refuse to let her fall any further because of my stupid fear."

"Sir Shark…" Katie smiled. "Then I hope you don't mind if I continue to join you for a little longer. I did say I wanted to help you and Miss Louise as much as I can."

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark seemed to agree with the idea.

Ryoga smiled and nodded. "Right," he then returned his attention on Montmorency. "It's settled. We leave first thing tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!?" Montmorency screeched. Any protest she had was swiftly cut when Ryoga displayed Big Jaws to her. "O-Oh fine! Tomorrow it is!"

"This is probably the best course of action," Guiche spoke in agreement. "The longer Louise stay this way, the more likely others will piece together her strange behavior and suspect a love potion," he turned to Montmorency and gave his most charming smile. "Ah, but fear not, my lover. I will stay by your side on this journey," he said while leaning in and trying to slowly put his hand over Montmorency's shoulders. She quickly pulled away to evade him.

"That's not really inspiring. You are too weak."

* * *

"Lagdorian Lake?" Louise asked. She sat on her bed with a curious look at Ryoga, whom she was surprised to find in her room waiting for her when she returned for the night. He wasn't given a chance to speak before she pounced on him and started crying again into his chest, blathering nonstop about how he could just leave her alone and that she hated him because of it. It took quite a while before he managed to calm her down and listen to what he had to say.

"Yeah. The only way to get you back to normal is to go there, and since I'm afraid of leaving you alone again I'm bringing you too," Ryoga said.

"I still don't get what you mean by normal. And do you really have to bring the others along?" Louise mumbled irritated. She meant of course Montmorency, Guiche, and Katie, of whom she particular disliked the idea of the two females joining.

"They're the ones who know where it's located. Traveling with them will make the trip a lot easier and save us a lot of time," the Duelist explained.

"Is that really true?"

"It is."

"Really, for real?"

"Yes, Louise, it is."

Louise pouted for a moment before giving a bright smile and nodding. "Okay. As long as I get to be with Ryoga I'm perfectly happy."

" _That's what I'm afraid of,"_ Ryoga thought with a groan. "In any case, you better get some rest. The trip is a couple of days and we need to leave as early as we can," he said as he moved to return to his bed, only to suddenly be pulled back by a pair of slender arms around his neck. "Wha- hey!"

"I want you to sleep with me!"

"Huh!?" Ryoga's face became the color of a tomato. "W-What are you on about now!?"

"I-I want you to sleep next to me! Or else I won't go to bed!" Louise shouted.

It took a second to register what the pink chibi said, though it felt much longer, before Ryoga realized she wasn't implying what he thought she was, He felt the urge to simultaneously collapse in relief and facepalm in stupidity. _"Are you serious right now?"_ He questioned the situation. He swore the stress it brought him would kill him faster than any mage in this world. "Not happening," he answered back.

"If you don't I'll punish you!" As if to prove the point Louise suddenly bit Ryoga's neck.

"Gah!" Ryoga broke Louise's hold and pulled away, his hand snapping to the spot she bit. "What the hell!? Are you nuts!?"

"Of course not!" Louise hung her head. "I'm lonely…idiot…"

The former Barian paused at the sight before sighing. "Even so, I'm not sleeping with you. For multiple reasons, the top of which being it'd be morally wrong due to the circumstances."

"T-Then at least hug me! If you hug me I'll go right to sleep!" Louise promised.

"Not happening."

"But-"

" _Not._ Happening."

Louise's eyes watered and looked ready to break down into another crying fest. Ryoga quietly cursed at the sight. He debated for a moment before walking over and placing a hand on her head, surprising her as he gently began rubbing it similar to the times he did in the past.

"I'll do this much, okay?" The water user said gently. He didn't know why exactly he started this with her the first time, but it always seemed to calm her down. It looked to be no different this time as Louise nuzzled against the palm, eyes closed and her lips curled into a soft smile. "There, now will you go to bed?"

"Unn," Louise made a pleased sound of acknowledgement.

"Good," Ryoga pulled his hand away only for Louise to catch it again. "Louise-"

"You'll be here, right?" The tremble in tone made Ryoga stop. Louise looked up to him revealing her eyes no longer watery, but replaced with worry and fear. "You won't leave me alone, right? You'll be here when I wake up this time…right?"

A wave of guilt slammed into Ryoga. He kneeled down to eye level and nodded. "Don't worry. I'm not going anywhere this time."

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Louise quietly nodded and kissed Ryoga's knuckles softly, causing his cheeks to fluster again. She then curled herself under the bed sheets. Tiredness soon took over as her eyes closed and her breathe became that of a faint sleeper's, with the moonlight from the window giving her a very peaceful and cute appearance.

It was a sight that made the former king feel all the more horrid for allowing this to happen. He would make this right dammit, one way or another.

* * *

A day and a half on horseback. That was how long the journey took for Ryoga and his group. A day and a half of long dirt roads, winding paths, and sore bums. And that was with little to no stops in-between. The water user would have much preferred calling Aero Shark to carry them all, but with Louise being the only one who knew of his unique talent, that option was swiftly kicked out the door. It made him all the more envious of Cat Shark's ability to fly.

It also didn't help that Louise rode the same horse as him. She refused to ride alone and wanted him in her sights at all times, so she took to sitting at the front of the horse and putting herself in Ryoga's lap the whole trip. Her constant nuzzling against him for affection and yelling at him when he didn't also made to derail his focus many times during the trip.

Despite the minor annoyances they finally neared their destination. According to the map Guiche brought along the hill they were ascending was in the middle of the forest surrounding the lake. Just past it would be the village near the lake, where they could rest up and get ready for contacting the spirit.

"Hurry up. It should be just over this hill," Montmorency said to the group behind her. Being the sole visitor of the lake amongst the group, she was the one who held their passes to cross the border and took the lead of direction.

"Finally. Feels like forever since we left," Ryoga muttered with a crack of his neck.

"It does feel that way, doesn't it?" Katie spoke up from his left, moving her own horse to walk alongside his. "At least we made it without any trouble. I was half expecting us to encounter bandits or orcs. Maybe a dragon even."

Ryoga's brow rose at that. "Glad to know you were optimistic about our chances."

"Huh?" Katie looked confused. She then realized what she said and became embarrassed. "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. It's just that I hear those kinds of stories all the time from my brother whenever he returns from his travels."

"You have a brother?"

"I do. Rather, I like to consider that I do. You see I'm actually an only child, so he and I aren't related by blood, but he's considered a very close friend of the family and I've known him since I was little, so I've always seen him as a big brother," Katie looked to the clouds above with a warm smile across her face. "Going on a trip like this reminded me of all the stories he's told me about his own adventures. How he'd end up encountering an amazing creature or stumbling across a band of rogue mages and have to fend them off. He even gets pulled into weird situations simply because of his kind-hearted nature," she giggled at the memories. "I guess I was just expecting something similar to happen,"

"As if we don't have enough excitement already," Ryoga joked with his own smile. He then yelped in pain when a tight pinching hold was put on his stomach, courtesy of the pinkette sitting on his lap. She looked anything but pleased.

"You keep paying attention to her," Louise accused. "I knew it, you really like that first-year more, don't you?"

"It's not like that," Ryoga pulled Louise's hand away to make her stop. "We were just having a discussion. Nothing more."

"But why her when you have me!? I love you so much after all!"

Ryoga's brow twitched. He took a deep breath then put his palm on Louise's head. "Settle down alright? I'm here for you remember? Not her or anyone else, just you. Got it?" He said as he began lightly ruffling the pinkette's hair. If there's anything he's picked up about a love potion during these past few days, it was that any amount of affection given to the victim would almost immediately calm them down. For Louise, a simple head rub with some soft words were more than enough to satiate her.

The evidence was shown when Louise immediately brightened. "Right! Ryoga is here for me!" She moved away from the hand and nuzzled into the Duelist's chest happily. He just quietly groaned in annoyance. Katie watched the scene with a smile, though it seemed tense. She wasn't even aware of her grip on the reigns tightening.

"If you're done goofing around back there, we're here," Montmorency announced as the group finally made it to the top of the hill. Everyone took in the sight of the large body of water before them, the sun's illumination on the lake spreading like a layer of shimmering glass.

"Wow…it's so beautiful," Katie said in awe.

"Mrroooowwww," Cat Shark meowed with sparkling eyes.

"Yeah," Ryoga agreed. He hadn't seen a body of water this impressive since the very oceans of his world.

"So, this must be the famous Lagdorian Lake!" Guiche yelled. "No, the beauty of this lake is indescribable! The Water Spirit is in there! I'm impressed! Ho-Ho-Ho! Yahoo!" He whipped his horse and began plunging down the hill at top speed while continuing to voice his excitement.

He never stopped to consider that racing down a hill towards a large body of water would frighten the horse. Thus, when it reached the shore it came to an abrupt stop. Following the laws of inertia, Guiche flung off his horse and, with a thunderous crash, fell head first into the lake. He broke the surface a moment later, his arms flailing rapidly.

"Can't reach the ground! It's deep! Deeeeeeep!" Guiche desperately cried out for help.

The group stared at the sight for a moment before Ryoga asked the question on everyone's mind. "He doesn't know how to swim, does he?"

"No, he doesn't," Montmorency replied monotone.

"Yet his first thought was to charge into the lake."

"Yes, it was," the female noble sighed at her fellow blonde's idiocy. "I wonder if we should reconsider our fellowship after all?"

"That needs considering?" Ryoga turned to Cat Shark. "Would you mind saving the idiot?"

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark saluted and flew down the hill to help. The others followed suite, taking their actual time rather than racing down. By the time they reached the shore Guiche was pulled onto solid ground again, hanging limply from his cloak in the Xyz's mouth. The sight resembled that of a fish caught for dinner.

"I-I thought I was going to die," the playboy mumbled shakily.

He went ignored as Montmorency looked at the lake with suspicion. "Strange…"

"What wrong?" Katie asked.

"The water level has risen. Lagdorian's shore should be further down," Montmorency said. Her eyes then widened and she pointed to the lake. "Look over there. That's a rooftop sticking out."

The group looked to where she pointed and saw her words to be true. The tops of both building roofs and trees pierced just above the surface of the water. They could even see the shadowy and submerged forms of those same structures in the clear shallows closer to them.

"The town…" Katie's voice trembled in shock. "It's…"

"Flooded," Ryoga finished, his expression hardened.

Montmorency got off her horse and walked up to the shore. She kneeled down and dipped her finger into the water closing her eyes. After a while she stood back up, her face now filling with a worried look. "It seems as if the Water Spirit is angry."

"Angry?" Ryoga repeated. "How do you know?"

"Because I _am_ a water-element user, Montmorency the Fragrance," the noble boasted. "The Tristain Royal family is connected with the Water Spirit of Lagdorian Lake by an old oath. The Montmorency 'Water' family has been negotiating with it for many generations."

"Meaning you can sense what the spirit feels then," the Duelist concluded. It made perfect sense considering his own tie to water. In his world the ocean always felt alive to him. Full of life and acting with emotion and thought as complex as any human, all of which he could understand perfectly. It was part of the reason he could communicate with any Duel Monster spirit connected to water even if he'd never met them before. And now, in front of this massive lake, that same sensation flowed through him, as if the lake was truly living.

And yet…as he looked back to the lake, he could sense something else too. He didn't know what it was, but it was there. Something that felt oddly…familiar…

"Have you met the Water Spirit before?" Katie asked Montmorency.

"Only once when I was young. When we needed to create a drainage for the territory, my family sought the Water Spirit's cooperation. A big glass container was made to transport it. However, because the Water Spirit has a lot of pride, it can be extremely aggressive," Montmorency gave a deadpanned look. "In fact, it is because of its' aggressiveness that my family's drainage scheme failed. All because my father said to the Water Spirit 'Don't walk. The floor will get wet.'"

There was a stunned silence. That was…there wasn't a proper phrasing of words to describe such action.

"Ahh!" A voice caught the groups attention as they saw an old man step out from the nearby tree line. His outfit suggested he was a farmer. "Oh my. Excuse me, but am I to believe that you all are nobles?"

"Not all of us," Ryoga corrected. "Who are you?"

"Just a local resident from the nearby village. Or what's left of it," the man motioned to the drowned town. "My lords, did you come to negotiate with the Water Spirit? If so, then we have been saved! Please, quickly make your negotiations and solve this flood problem."

"That, well, we…just came to see the lake," Montmorency lied. She made it clear before their journey that she didn't want anyone else to know about them searching for the Water Spirit's tear. If word reached the wrong ear then the connection to the love potion could be discovered.

The farmer's joy disappeared in an instant. "Oh, I see," he gave a depressed sigh. "Really, lords and the princess don't even bother noticing such remote villages as ours. They can't even imagine how hard it is to collect the harvest," he mumbled to himself.

"If you don't mind, what happened to the lake?" Guiche asked.

"The water started to rise about two years ago. The water level increased slowly, flooding the port first, then the temple and fields," the farmer told them. "Now even the eagles' nests are flooded. We pleaded to the local lords responsible for this territory, but they busily indulge in entertainments in the royal court and pay no attention to us."

"That's horrible," Katie said appalled.

The old man nodded and began to weep bitterly. "For years we lived on this land, depending on the moody Water Spirit, and honestly it's been good when it stays at the bottom of the lake. But now we really want to understand why it has suddenly become interested in our land. Because this land belongs to men! But, only a noble could communicate with it. I'd like to know what we poor farmers did to make it lose its' temper."

The farmer's crying soon turned into a rant, of which nobody wishes to get dragged into. Eventually he walked off, continuing to rant to himself with a wave of disappointment clearly visible from having his hopes burned up.

"Will he be alright?" Katie asked.

"He'll be fine," Ryoga assured. It was just another thing the common folk had to deal with in this world. It annoyed him, certainly, but they had bigger issues right now to deal with. "So, what do we do now?" He asked Montmorency.

"We'll have to wait a little bit," the alchemist answered. "The spirit won't come out until the sun begins setting."

"Then let's get ready."

* * *

Several hours later the sun finally began setting over the large mountains surrounding the lake. Seeing the chance was finally here, Montmorency took something out of the bag attached to her waist. Ryoga recognized it immediately as her familiar, the same spotted frog he saw in her room.

"Frog!" Louise screamed and drew herself closer to Ryoga. "W-W-What is with that poisonously colored frog?"

"She's not poisonous I tell you! She is my dear familiar!" Montmorency shouted back.

"I think she's cute," Katie complimented.

"It's gross!" Louise complained.

Ryoga's brow rose. Louise disliked frogs huh? Definitely needed keep that bit of information saved away for a later date.

Montmorency ignored the pink chibi and turned back to her familiar with a raised finger. "Listen Robin, I want to contact an old friend of ours," she instructed. She reached into her pocket and took out a needle. Very carefully she pushed the needle to her finger, keeping a straight face as a small glob of ruby bright red blood spilled out. Turning her finger over she let the drop fall on Robin's back, and after treating the wound with a minor healing spell, brought the frog close again. "Since she knows who I am, she should know who you are. Robin, please, in the name of the great spirits of the dead, seek the old Water Spirit, and tell her I wish to speak with her because of our alliance. Do it for me, understand?"

The frog gave a light nod and turned to the lake. It leaped off Montmorency's palm and into the water with a tiny splash.

"Mrrow mrrow?" Cat Shark turned to Ryoga excited.

"I don't think we need both of you in there. Plus, there's no telling how this spirit would react to you," the former Barian commented.

"Mrrow," the Xyz pouted.

"Robin went to call the Water Spirit. If she can find it, she is likely to bring it here," Montmorency said walking back to the group.

"Will she really find it?" Katie asked.

"Who knows?" Guiche shrugged. "Spirits are always an odd sort to acquaint with."

"Well what happens when it does show?" Ryoga asked. "How exactly do we obtain this tear?"

"Leave that part to me," Montmorency said. "I have to be the one to make the contract since I was the one who called it. Besides, the spirit isn't something you can casually talk with. Compared to humans, the Water Spirit can live a long, long, _long_ time. It is said to have existed over six-thousand years ago, when the Founder Brimir first established Halkeginia."

"It's that ancient?" Katie said shocked.

"It is," Montmorency nodded. "And since it uses the lake for its' body, it can freely change its shape. It's even said to glisten seven colors when the sunlight hits it. It's both beautiful and dangerous, so whatever you do, be careful."

"No need to tell me twice," Ryoga commented.

 **BA-BUMP!**

The Duelist's eyes widened at feeling the Barian pendant react. _"Wha-"_

The surface of the lake suddenly began to shine. Thirty meters away from the shore where the group was standing, the water started churning, picking up speed at a high non-stop rate. The water then swelled up like a rising cake, exploding upwards as it began constantly changing shape. It resembled a giant amoeba, and even though the flashing lights from its' body were beautiful, it also had this eerie feeling that made everyone uncomfortable.

Back at the shore Robin remerged and hopped back to her master. Montmorency held out her palm and caught the frog, patting her with a finger. "Well done Robin. Thank you for helping to bring it," she praised the familiar. She quickly pocketed the frog back in her bag and approached the shoreline, straightening her stance and spreading her hands towards the Water Spirit. "I am a Montmorency Margarita La Fere de Montmorency. User of water, member of the lineage of old oath. I have put my blood on this frog to help you remember. If you remember, answer in a way and with words that we understand."

The large surge of water began to slow down and started morphing again, slowly molding its' shape similar to that of clay. Then, much to the surprise of everyone, the mass slowly shaped itself into Montmorency's form, from her body figure, her hair, and all her facial features. It even copied her ribbon in her hair. The only difference was that it was huge, easily overlooking the treetops that weren't submerged, and it didn't copy the clothing, making it resemble a nude and transparent Montmorency.

It looked truly beautiful, and in the setting sun its' body's shining surface looked more like ice than water. Like a sparkling gem of constant motion.

The Water Spirit's expression then began changing into various forms. A smile at first, followed by anger, and then crying faces. Each time she tried a new expression, the face of the water moved. The face finally became expressionless again as its' "eyes" turned to Montmorency.

" _I REMEMBER, HUMAN."_ The spirit suddenly spoke. Its' voice was a bubbling echo, which made sense for its' body, but also sounded serene and alluring. _"I REMEMBER THE LIQUID THAT FLOWS IN YOUR BODY. THE MOON HAS CHANGED FIFTY-TWO TIMES SINCE OUR LAST MEETING."_

"This is…the Water Spirit?" Katie mumbled. This was…amazing.

"Mrrow…" Cat Shark lowered its' body to the ground. It could feel the power from this fellow spirit and felt its' instincts screaming to show respect.

 **BA-BUMP!**

Ryoga's hand moved to the pendant and gripped it tightly. _"What is this?"_ He thought as his eyes looked at the spirit. This was different from all the other times the pendant reacted. There was this pain, this…feeling.

Just what was this?

"I'm glad," Montmorency continued speaking. "Water Spirit, I need to ask you something."

" _SOMETHING TO ASK?"_ The spirit repeated.

Montmorency nodded. "Although it might seem somewhat insensitive, could you give me a piece of your body?"

The Water Spirit stared for a moment, its' form shifting as it most likely was contemplating the request. Before long the lips on its' mouth curled into a smile.

"It's smiling? Then it must be okay with doing so!" Katie said excited.

" _I REFUSE, HUMAN."_

"Eh?" Katie blinked. The words that came out of the mouth were…not what was supposed to be said. They didn't at all match the expression on the face.

"Is that so? How unfortunate," Montmorency put her arms down and turned back to the group. "Oh well, I guess we'll be heading back now."

"Excuse me!?" Ryoga snapped angrily.

"H-Hey don't get mad at me with this one!" Montmorency yelled back. "A spirit's mind is always set once it makes a decision. Trying to persuade it otherwise would be near impossible without offering it something in return, and last I checked we have nothing to bargain with!"

"So what, you're just going to give up!? What about Louise!?"

"It can't be helped! Threaten me however you like, but it won't change anything!"

Ryoga's glare died. "Won't change anything…" His head hung as the shadow of his bangs covered his eyes.

"Sir Shark…" Katie moved to him worried only to be stopped by a glaring Louise.

Ryoga didn't pay them mind. His fingers dug so deep into his palm that it felt like he'd break his own hand from the force. Won't change anything? What did she know? What did any of them know? He lived multiple lives thinking nothing would change. That he would constantly live with pain and despair haunting him. But it was Yuma, an idiot who loved Dueling, that showed him otherwise.

How he could open his heart after being closed off for so long. How he could befriend someone like Astral, the mortal enemy of his world. How he shouldn't allow anyone to control him, and should choose his own future to define who he was. Even at the end, Yuma and him had the greatest time of their lives in that final Duel and pushed each other to their limit. Not just for the worlds they lived in, but because of how much they respected and cared for each other.

Won't change anything? No. He refused to accept that reality. He refused to accept that such an outcome was the result of all this. He did not come this far to be denied now, Water Spirit or no.

He came here to help Louise, and by the fucking Barian World he was going to do it one way or another!

"Move!" Ryoga pushed Montmorency aside and headed towards the water's edge.

"Wait! You! Stop it! Don't anger the Water Spirit!" Montmorency yelled fearfully.

"Sir Shark!"

"Ryoga!"

The cries of Katie and Louise went ignored as the Duelist stepped into the water, stopping only when it reached halfway to his knees. "Water Spirit!"

The spirit looked down. Its' face seemed to almost shift into surprise upon spotting the purple-haired teen. It lasted only a second before returning to the emotionless state. _"WHO ARE YOU?"_

"My name is Kamishiro Ryoga. I came here because I was told you could give us a Spirit's Tear. And now I'm hearing you refuse to give it, that right?"

" _IT IS."_

"Then we have a problem," Ryoga's gaze hardened. "I need that tear to help a friend of mine," he looked back to Louise, whose watched him worried. "She may be loud, annoying, and obnoxious at times, but she's someone I've come to care for and call a friend," he looked back to the spirit. "And you refusing to help us isn't something I can accept."

"Stop you idiot!" Montmorency continued yelling. "If you push the spirit too far you'll regret it!"

"I don't care!" Ryoga shouted. "I came here for one reason, to help Louise! And if that means I have to get my hands dirty, so be it!" He reached behind and pulled out his Duel Disk, immediately equipping it. "You may have made that potion, but I made it worse by ignoring her. This is my mistake, and I won't sit back on it. I won't let her, or anyone else, ever suffer because I couldn't do anything!"

The Water Spirit's eyes widened. _"YOU…"_

 **BA-BUMP!**

Ryoga's body froze as the pendant pulsed again. The sensation was even stronger this time, which made the pain stronger in unison. It spiked through his chest and moved all the way into his head, which he grasped at as his skull suddenly felt like it was on fire.

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark cried. It could feel something happening to its' master and became increasingly worried.

"Ryoga!" Louise moved to rush forward only to be held back by Katie. "Let me go! Ryoga!"

The Duelist's mouth went agape and his pupils began twitching from the pain. The pain continued to grow as flashes began appearing in his vision and he started feeling sick. It was unbearable. It was-

" _I won't let her, or anyone else, ever suffer because I couldn't do anything!"_

Ryoga froze. What…what was that? That sounded like him just a moment ago…but different…

A large splash was heard making Ryoga turn his head up and see the Water Spirit nowhere to be found. A small wave from the lake moved over his waist, but eventually settled, leaving the surface as quiet as it was before.

"What?" Montmorency looked stunned, her expression being shared by the others save for Louise, who just remained worried. "The spirit left?"

"Is that a good thing?" Guiche asked.

 **BA-BUMP!**

The surface of the lake in front of Ryoga suddenly roared and exploded upwards. It rose higher and higher until it shaped into a massive wall of water that shadowed the group. Everyone froze at the sight, unable to believe what was in front of them and their fears skyrocketing at the power that threatened to swallow them all in one fell swoop.

Instead it twisted at the end and hurled straight downwards, crashing right on top of Ryoga and swallowing him in a rapid spiraling torrent.

"RYOGA!" Louise screamed.

"SIR SHARK!" Katie cried out horrified. She watched as the spiraling water cut off any trace of the purple teen, making it impossible to see what was happening to him. So shocked was she that her grip on Louise became loose. A mistake she realized too late when Louise broke away and bolted right for the torrent. "Miss Louise stop!"

"You idiot! Stay back!" Montmorency warned. It came too late as a fast whip of water flew out and struck the pink-haired girl across the face, sending her flying into the air.

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark quickly moved through the air and caught Louise. It hurriedly retreated from the torrent and landed back near the group, placing her down before them.

"Miss Louise! Are you alright?" Katie asked concerned.

"Ryoga!" Louise ignored the question and immediately tried rushing back in without any concern for her safety. She didn't make it far as Guiche and Katie moved in and caught her, each grabbing hold of one of her arms and holding on tightly. "Let me go! I have to save him!"

"Miss Louise stop! You can't go in there!" Katie pleaded.

"I have to save him! I have to! Ryoga! Ryoga!"

"W-What do we do!?" Guiche asked Montmorency.

"I…I don't know!" Montmorency answered. She was clueless on what was happening.

 **BA-BUMP!**

Everyone stopped when they heard a sound emit from the torrent. Turning to look they saw the current slowing down and shaping into a sphere. The sound continued to echo out, slowly at first and gradually picking up pace, with a bright light pulsating from inside the sphere with each beat. And highlighted from the light was the shadow of a person who could be seen floating inside the sphere.

"Ryoga!"

* * *

From within the torrent of water Ryoga's eyes were closed shut but his mind was still awake. He could feel the water moving around him, feel it continue to swirl and press against his body with tight pressure and force as he was swung in a circular pattern. Oddly enough though he felt no pain from this. No danger. Even as he was being tossed around he felt perfectly fine. Even the body's natural desire to grasp for air or the fear of drowning wasn't registering to him.

It was as if he knew he wasn't going to be hurt. But how would he know that when he didn't even know what was happening?

 **BA-BUMP!**

The pendant pulsed again as the pain returned and assaulted the Duelist. His mind once again felt on fire but he was unable to react to it as the pressure of the water seemed to increase on him, almost as if to hold his body in place. Unable to fight back the pain continued to grow, burning out any other thoughts and making his mouth open and swallow the lake water in a gurgling scream.

 **BA-BUMP!**

" _So, these are the heirs to the kingdom?"_

 **BA-BUMP!**

" _Huh?"_ Ryoga swore he heard something. _"What…what is this?"_

 **BA-BUMP!**

" _A pleasure to meet you, young prince."_

 **BA-BUMP!**

The former Barian's fingers curled. _"This feeling…"_

 **BA-BUMP!**

" _Never regret your actions. For it is they that define you and what you believe in."_

 **BA-BUMP!**

" _You are strong young prince. And your strength will only continue to rise. Just be sure to never let it blind you to what is most precious."_

 **BA-BUMP!**

" _So long as our pact is never broken, and your heart remains true to who you are, I shall serve thee until the time when your life has passed. Thus, I swear under the oath to you, King of the United Lands of the Poseidon Ocean."_

 **BA-BUMP!**

Suddenly the water seemed to almost freeze. Ryoga's body simply floated in the middle of it unmoving. His eyelids twitched and slowly began opening. They looked through the blurry surface and saw a small orb of light floating in front of him, somehow emitting a warmth like that of sunlight.

" _IT IS YOU."_

 **BA-BUMP!**

The torrent picked back up as the light disappeared. Ryoga found his body being pushed downwards before his shoes came in contact with a sandy surface. The water continued to move before pulling away, and after a moment the former king found himself out of the lake's grasp and on the shoreline, fresh air hitting his lungs and the light of the setting sun touching his skin. He stood there, dazed and confused, before his body instinctively reacted as his eyes bulged and he fell to his knees, convulsing as he threw up the water inside his lungs.

"Gah…ha…agh!" Ryoga coughed harshly as he struggled to regain his breath. Confusion raced through him as he struggled to gather his thoughts and understand what occurred. "Wha...what was…"

"Ryoga!"

"Gah!" The Duelist wasn't prepared to be tackled to the ground as Louise leaped on him. "L-Loui-Agh!" He coughed again as the pinkette slammed her fist into his chest.

"You idiot!" Louise screamed as she slammed another fist against Ryoga. She quickly began repeating the pattern with both hands. "Idiot, idiot, idiot, idiot! I thought you died! You big dumb stupid idiot! You stupid uncaring jerk! You…you…" Her strikes gradually became weaker before stopping entirely. Ryoga looked up to see her eyes dripping with tears. She then leaned down and wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face into his chest, uncaring about his soaked state. "I thought I lost you…you idiot."

The young noble began sobbing, making Ryoga frown. He pushed himself up enough to look at her proper and gently pat her head. "Louise…"

"Sir Shark!" Katie was suddenly beside the two and quickly kneeled down next to the purple teen, her eyes frantically moving over his body with worry. "Are you okay!? Does it hurt anywhere!? Please say something!"

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark flew up behind her with similar fear. "Mrrow mrrow mrrow!"

"Calm down you two. I'm- gah," Ryoga coughed a little.

"Ah! H-Here!" Katie pulled out a rag from her pocket and handed it to Ryoga. He began wiping his face and coughing the water still inside him onto it. "Take it slowly. Deep breaths. Let your lungs clear out."

Ryoga did as told. After a minute he finally gained control over his breathing enough to speak. "Thanks…" he said handing the rag back.

"How do you feel?" Katie asked worried.

"Better…at least…I think so," Ryoga put a hand to his temple. The burning wasn't there anymore, though he could still feel the phantom presence of it. What even was that? He glanced down at the Barian pendant before shaking his head and turning back to Katie. "A bit waterlogged, obviously, and my head feels like it was run through a blender…but other than that, I think I'm fine now."

"Fine? Fine!?" Montmorency screeched. "How was what just happened 'fine'!? How are you even still alive right now!?"

"She's right! What happened back there Ryoga?" Guiche asked.

Ryoga's expression hardened. "I…"

Before he could respond the water near the shoreline suddenly erupted upwards again. Ryoga and Louise quickly got to their feet and everyone put themselves on guard, with Louise even drawing out her wand. The water swirled around before slowly taking another humanoid shape. It was smaller this time however, being around the actual size of a normal human, and as it took form everyone could see it no longer resembling Montmorency.

Instead its' form took a slightly smaller shape. The curves of Montmorency were lessened down, but the beauty and figure was still one to catch the eye. The ringlet hair was replaced with long hair that seemed to curl up on the ends, complete with long bangs that trailed down past the sides of the face. But it was the face itself, that when Ryoga looked at, felt as though a ghost had come back to haunt him.

"Rio?" The former Barian uttered, unable to believe his eyes. It couldn't be…she was dead. He watched her die…but there she was in front of him. He would know Rio's face anywhere, there was no mistaking it. "Rio…is that…is that you?"

"Rio?" Louise looked at Ryoga confused and then back to the spirit. Immediate realization struck her. That was the name of his sister. But then…did that mean the spirit was taking the form of his sister?

The Water Spirit ignored the others and looked right at Ryoga making him flinch. Even the shape of the eyes was just how he remembered. The spirit tilted its' head briefly before slowly walking along the water's surface to the shore. Everyone else took a step back, but Ryoga did the opposite and began moving forward.

"Ryoga!' Louise yelled out.

"Sir Shark, what are you doing!?" Katie called worried.

"That idiot!" Montmorency complained.

Ryoga ignored them all and kept walking until he reached the shoreline. He stood there and waited for the spirit to approach. Once it did it stopped right before him, its' height matching almost his own perfectly. The same height Rio had.

"Rio…is that really you?" Ryoga asked almost pleading.

The liquid form shimmered, the emotions on the face shifting to different expressions before turning to the standard emotionless one. _"Kamishiro Ryoga…"_ the spirit spoke, her voice being a lot softer than before. _"I am sorry, but I am not the one you know as Rio."_

The Duelist felt his heart drop.

" _But that does not mean we have not met before…Nasch."_

Ryoga gasped. "What?"

The spirit's face shifted into a warm look as the mouth curled into a smile. _"I was right…it is you...isn't it?"_ Her hand moved and gently cupped the boy's cheek. " _After so long…after so many millennium…I have finally found you again. My most kind and gentle, King Nasch."_

* * *

 ***sits at a table, fingers crossed, and elbows on top as I wear a black business suit and orange sunglasses in a dark room* Keikaku Doori... *I nod and then takes off the glasses with a wide smile***

 **HI GUYS!**

 ***dodges gunshot***

 **I'll assume that's because of the cliffhanger?  
**

 ***catches knife thrown at me*  
**

 **That's a yes. Well sorry if I ruined your dreams of a Duel with the Water Spirit, but I hope that my little surprise at the end is something you'll be just as interested and excited in. After all...the Water Spirit knows who Ryoga is...why is this I wonder? Hehehehehe.**

 ***kicks a grenade away as it explodes***

 **Alright, once I'm mad. Twice, how could you. Three times, you're officially that guy.**

 **In all seriousness, I do hope my surprise caught many of you off guard, or at least has you interested in what will happen next. Sorry no Duel again, but trust me when I say I have big plans coming up. The next chapter should be the final one for the Love Potion Arc, and after that...we get to the REAL fun. So just hold out till then and let your minds wonder about the events going to happen. And be sure to share those thoughts and ideas to me. I really want to hear what you guys think about the events going on and what you think will happen.**

 **ONTO THE REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER 22! (hey that rhymes :D)**

 **ivan0061509: Thank you so much. Hope you enjoyed this one just as much.**

 **jordanlink7856: Hahaha, I know right? I love May. And thanks dude! It was a great birthday month. Hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **Frank Horrigan: Ohhhhhh *grins* You'll find out next chapter...trust me.**

 **Learn: Thank you for the support man!**

 **Omega Porunga: Glad to hear you like that Arc. I don't mind it myself, but for most stories the love potion can be repetitive sadly, so I hope my spin has helped make it slightly different! Hope you enjoyed it and are excited for what comes next!**

 **duskrider: Glad you caught that, as probably many did. I won't spoil who it is obviously, but I think you'll enjoy it when it comes out.**

 **BarianFan93: Thank you for loving my story. Sorry for no Duel. That's not JUST yet...but it will be soon. And I'm glad you like me keeping Shark the same. I admit it's tough trying to make the characters match who they are, but I'm doing my best with it, and I love trying to figure out Ryoga just cause of his nature as a character. And yes, Ryoga won't just do what everyone says because of plot. He's his own person, and his personality and actions WILL differ the world because of it. He is NOT, like many others, a god damn Saito Clone. I am SO TIRED of that changing characters. So I'm glad you think I'm keeping Ryoga as he is, cause he WILL remain that way as long as I am around!**

 **Guest: Indeed. Anyone can use the cards as long as they have them and a Duel Disk. And yes, the villains seem to have them. But...I wonder who else does? *grins* OHHHHH the possibilities...**

 **Also glad you pick up on my subtle references. Whether they are all connected or completely different things, who can say...but I will say you're determinedly a lot warmer than you think. As for Siesta...oh oh hoh, do I have PLANS for her. I liked her season 1, but after that she just fell into the worst kind of character, and it broke my heart. Here...Siesta will change into what she SHOULD have been. And maybe...it'll be because of a certain three-headed dragon (grins widely* though...which one is it I wonder? heheheh  
**

 **Also don't worry dude. I knew you weren't trying to troll and I greatly appreciate you wanting to help. Hell, don't be afraid to keep suggesting. It may inspire an idea for me that I haven't considered. I want to here everyone's opinions after all.  
**

 **I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you so much.**

 **Mart-kos99k: No Duel, sadly, but I hope my little surprise is just as exciting and has you interested. And yes, Ryoga not being bound by the contract WILL have an impact on things...just you wait. As for the Duel though...it's coming. Don't you worry...it is coming...**

 **AND NOW FOR PREVIOUS CHAPTER REVIEWS!**

 **Chapter 21: BarianFan93: Yeah, again I really love writing Shark because of how he tells off people and isn't afraid to speak is mind. And as you see, that holds a lot of impact on this world. As for Henrietta, you're correct. In fact, there is a quote in the new Black Panther trailer (WHICH IS AMAZING) that describes her perfectly.**

 **"You are a good man. With a good heart. And it's hard for a good man to be a king."**

 **Replace man with woman and king with queen, and that right there fits Henrietta. Whether that will lead to future conflict with Louise, especially with Ryoga's influence...we'll just have to wait and see.**

 **Chapter 19: Mart-kos99k: I KNOW RIGHT!? HAHAHAHAHA!**

 **Alright, well that's all for this chapter. Next chapter is the final one of the Love Potion Arc. And after that...the REAL action begins. Look forward too it everyone! And please be sure to leave a favorite or review and let me know what you guys think! Till then!**

 **Oh...and also...  
**

 **VRAINS IS AMAZING! *Lifts up hand* INTO THE VRAINS! *disappears into a ball of blue glowing light. Cat Shark flies in confused before looking at screen and waving goodbye happily***

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	24. Revelation at Lagdorian Lake

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works.

* * *

"Nasch?" Guiche said confused. "What is she talking about? Who is Nasch?"

"I don't know," Montmorency shook her head, still in shock but just as baffled by what was happening. "She said King Nasch as well, didn't she? I don't recall there being a king by that name in any of the other countries. I'm not even sure if there's a king by that name in Halkeginian history."

"Sir Shark?" Katie called out to the purple-haired teen.

Ryoga didn't seem to notice of her or even be aware of what the others were saying. His focus was completely on the smiling face of Rio before him. His eyes flashed with disbelief and turmoil while his mouth hung open, though not a peep could be heard from it.

The only thing seeming to function by any degree were his thoughts, which were being overloaded with a series of questions to which he had the answers to none. Was this Rio? Was it the Water Spirit? If it was then how did it know what his sister looked like? How did it know of who he- of who _Nasch_ was? Why was it acting so familiar with him?

Just what the hell was going on!?

"Who…who are you?" Ryoga finally found the will to speak, his voice trembling with various emotion.

The Water Spirit's smile dropped at the question. _"Who am I? Do you not remember me, my King?"_ She asked with a tilt of her head. When Ryoga didn't respond her hand dropped from his cheek and her expression became one of concern. _"Do you…not remember who I am, Nasch?"_

Remember who she was?

She spoke as if they'd met before. But that was impossible since the former Barian would definitely remember meeting a Water Spirit like this one. Except that he didn't. Nowhere in the memories of any of his previous lives did he recall encountering this spirit. Sure, he'd met many Duel Monsters tied to water, but the closest he could compare to something like this would have to be with Abyss or Shark Drake, and those were each because the Number's had their own agendas.

He was completely out of his element right now. It felt just like when Durbe brought him through the memories of his first life and reminded him of his Barian one. He didn't know what to say or feel.

"Get away from Ryoga!" The Duelist's turmoil was interrupted when he found himself pushed back by Louise, the pinkette placing herself directly between him and the Water Spirit.

"Not again!" Montmorency slapped her forehead unbelieving.

"Louise? What are you doing?" Ryoga questioned.

"I won't let her hurt you!" Louise declared as she drew her wand.

" _Hurt him?"_ The Water Spirit's eyes hardened. _"I would never think to bring harm to my king, human."_

"Liar!" Louise accused. "He called you Rio! You're using his sister's body to get close to him! How dare you manipulate his heart like that!"

"His sister?" Katie gasped. "The Water Spirit is mimicking his sister?"

"It is?" Guiche immediately began observing the aquatic form. He took in the shape of her hair, her face, her body, then looked to Ryoga for comparison. "You know, she does resemble him a bit, doesn't she? Though obviously much pretti- Ow!" The playboy yelped when Montmorency slammed an elbow into his chest.

"Stop staring you pervert," she ordered irritated.

" _You are mistaken,"_ the Water Spirit turned to Ryoga. _"I promise you, my King, I would never use Merag's memory in such a disgraceful manner."_

"Merag…" Ryoga whispered. The spirit knew the name of Rio's first life as well?

" _The reason I take this form is because it is one most familiar to you, and one I know only you would recognize. You have always found it easier to communicate with a face you know then one you do not."_

"His sister's name is Rio! Stop trying to lie!" Louise shouted.

" _I would never lie to my king."_

"Liar!"

"That's enough Louise," Ryoga instructed.

"But she's just trying to hurt you! She-"

"Knock it off!" The former Barian grabbed Louise's wrist and roughly pulled her back. She yelped surprised but went ignored. "And you…" he addressed the spirit with a dangerously low tone. "Enough of your games. Just who the hell are you!?" He demanded. He didn't know how this thing knew who he was or how Rio looked, but that was cause enough for him to start panicking.

The Water Spirit's face became saddened. _"So then…you really do not remember? But how could that-"_ she stopped. Her form shifted several times before her eyes narrowed. _"I see…I thought I sensed something unusual when I went through your memories."_

"My memories?" Ryoga repeated. His mind then clicked with understanding. "Do you mean before when you attacked me?"

" _I never attacked you,"_ the spirit defended, her voice raising ever so slightly. _"I would never think to hurt you, my King. Nor could I even try. For someone like you who embodies the very ocean, my power is as insignificant as an ant compared to the sun that sets over us. All I did was look through your memories to discover if you were truly the Nasch I knew from long ago."_

"Why do you keeping calling him Nasch?" Louise asked. Her question caused Ryoga to stiffen.

" _Because that is his name, human. The name by which he was born with and I have known him as his whole life."_

"Ryoga, what is she talking abo-?" Louise turned to ask the Duelist only to stop at seeing him looking pale. "Ryoga?"

The Duelist didn't respond. It never occurred until just now that his true name, along with his former title, were said in front of others, including Louise. Something he had been trying to hide since day one.

And now was exposed.

" _You have not told them?"_ The Water Spirit's form flickered again. After a moment a look of surprise came across her. _"This is…"_ her face slowly shifted into guilt. _"I see…I was so caught in discovering if you were the one I remembered, that I ignored the actions you have taken since coming to this land. If I hadn't been so hasty…"_ much to the surprise of everyone, the spirit suddenly took to a knee and bowed. _"Please, forgive me for my transgressions, my King."_

"The spirit…is bowing?" Montmorency's eyes twitched. "The Water Spirit…is bowing…to a commoner?"

"And she keeps calling him king," Guiche turned pale as the implications started coming to fruition. "Y-You don't think-"

"Impossible!" Montmorency vividly denied. She refused to believe such…such ridiculousness! "T-There's no way he could be a king! That's just impossible!"

"Then how else would you describe what's happening?"

"I-I don't know! A mistake of identity? M-Maybe he just looks really similar to some other king she's met! There are such things as look-alikes you know!"

"But didn't the spirit say she saw his memories?" Katie spoke up. "If she really did that, wouldn't that mean she couldn't mistake him for someone else?"

"W-Well, uhhh…" Montmorency thought it over and shook her head. "T-That still doesn't mean anything! Kings are a part of royalty! How could he possibly have royal blood in him?"

"Aren't you forgetting Sir Shark is a fallen noble?" Katie reminded.

"T-That's right," Guiche's eyes widened. "He declared himself one at the Familiar Exhibition. A noble who has fallen out of grace due to circumstance and considered to be a commoner, but was still a noble nonetheless. And don't they tend to hide their true name so they aren't noticed or shamed further?" He grabbed his head in a panic. "And what if he was lying? What if he was just saying that to hide the truth? T-Then, does that mean Ryoga wasn't just an ordinary noble? Was he of royal noble blood!?"

"He…that…" Montmorency couldn't find an excuse.

"Then it's true?" Katie stared at Ryoga in astonishment. "Sir Shark really is…a king?"

"AHHHHH!" Guiche screamed as he ran his fingers through his head frantically. All the horrible things he had said and done to the purple teen were coming back to haunt him. Only now with a dreaded fear over the consequences from doing so.

Next to him Montmorency turned ghostly white from having similar thoughts. The idea of having to face Big Jaws or being sent to Osmond suddenly seemed like a mercy compared to what she could possibly face for angering a member of royalty.

"Ryoga is a king?" Louise muttered, having heard the others. Her cheeks brightened red. "Then…does that mean I'll get to be a queen?" She put her palms to her cheeks and started daydreaming. "A king and queen! Ahhh, the idea of such a happening is embarrassing, but I don't mind it at all! Ryoga being a gallant king and me his lovely qu-"

"I'M NOT A KING!"

The loud shout made everyone stop and jump. They turned their eyes to Ryoga, who they could see was shaking quite badly and had his hands clenched tightly at his side.

"Ryoga?" Louise whispered with worry.

"I'm not a king…" the purple boy whispered. His face became disheartened as he hung his head low. "I'm not…not anymore…"

To him, that title was lost long ago when he led his people in the revenge campaign against Vector. They were good, innocent people who didn't deserve to be dragged into a bloody war. Yet they followed him, placing their hopes on his shoulders just because of how much they loved him. And how did he repay such love? He led them to their deaths, and then to their reincarnations as citizens of the Barian World.

A path that should have never been theirs to begin with.

Even after his Barian reincarnation he continued to fail his people. He allowed Vector to take Rio hostage and kill them both, leaving his world leaderless when they needed them most in the war against the Astral World. Durbe may have taken up the rule in his stead and done a splendid job of keeping order, but without him they were pushed to their breaking point and on the verge of eradication. And of course, his worst and most recent failure yet, was his inability to obtain the Numeron Code and allowing the other Barian Emperors to die. He would never resent his final battle with Yuma, but deep down he would always resent himself for being unable to keep his promise and fulfill the other emperors' dreams of leading the Barian World to a better future.

As far as he was concerned, he may hold the memories of a king, but he didn't deserve to be called one anymore.

" _You are wrong,"_ the voice of the Water Spirit echoed, catching the group's attention. She stood back up as the liquid on her face shifted to resemble an almost stern expression. _"No matter what you deny, you know in your heart who you are, and part of that is, and always will be, a king. A true king."_

Ryoga felt his anger spike. "'A true king?' Who the hell are you to say something like that!? You know nothing about me!"

" _But I do know you,"_ the spirit said calmly _. "I know the kind of person you are, Nasch. I know of the lock that ties down your heart. Not because you seek loneliness, but because you fear hurting those you let in."_

"That's-" Ryoga cut himself off and lowered his head. "That's…"

"Mrrow," Ryoga felt fur brush against his fist and saw it to be Cat Shark nuzzling his hand.

"Cat Shark…"

"Mrrow," the Xyz used its' tiny teeth to pull Ryoga's fingers apart from their clenched state. It then affectionately licked them and lifted its' big yellow eyes to him. "Mrrow mrrow. Mrrow mrrow mrrow."

" _Your friend speaks true,"_ the Water Spirit addressed. _"Why continue to fear when you have already grown beyond that? I have seen your memories, my King. The lives you have lived and the struggles you have faced since we parted all that time ago. I have seen it all, and I have felt the pain and sorrow you have gone through,"_ she placed a hand over where the glowing orb in her body was. Her eyes motioned to show great sadness. _"I understand why you fear revealing the truth, and of ever returning to it. To suffer as you have is a life none should share."_

Ryoga frowned and looked away in guilt. He was brought back to facing the spirit by her hand caressing his cheek and turning his head.

" _However, that does not mean you must be punished because of it. For I have also seen the light you have been blessed with. The wonderful people you have met and come to call friends. The fond memories and love you have experienced. Through everything you have endured your soul never wavered or changed, always trying to do the right thing even if it meant you had to suffer because of it,"_ the spirit gave a warm and almost motherly smile. _"Even now, in this world you do not understand, you still remain the same kind and gentle boy I remember, and whether you consider yourself a king or not, you will forever remain my gentle Nasch."_

Ryoga felt his heart skip a beat at those words. They sounded so…familiar to him.

"Hey!" Louise yelled and grabbed Ryoga's arm in a hug. The Duelist was too caught off guard to resist and found himself pulled away, trapped in her grip. "Don't try and get cozy with Ryoga y-y-you man-thief! I won't let you use your fancy words and beautiful body to steal him from me!"

"…Seriously?" Ryoga deadpanned unbelieving.

"This is your fault too Ryoga!" Louise accused. "You keep looking at her and talking with her even though I'm here! I won't let you fall for her charm! I'm the one who loves you after all!"

A group sigh could be heard. Leave it to Louise to break the atmosphere like that.

" _Hehehe,"_ the Water Spirit lightly chuckled. _"How protective of a friend you have, my King. Though even were she not under the influence of a love potion, I would imagine a similar reaction."_

"How did you-" Ryoga stopped when he realized the answer to his own question.

" _Indeed,"_ the spirit said, almost as if sensing his thoughts. _"I did state I saw all of your memories, my King. That includes the reason you are here. You seek my tear to cure this young human girl, correct?"_

"T-That's right!" Katie gasped. With all that was happening she'd almost forgotten about their original purpose here. From the looks of Guiche and Montmorency it seemed they too were in the same boat as her. "Miss Water Spirit, we know you rejected giving us your tear before, but we really need it in order to help Miss Louise," the first-year put her hands together and bowed respectfully. "Please! We will do anything you ask!"

The spirit's form flickered for a moment. She glanced at Ryoga and then nodded. _"For my king, I would gladly part a tear to him."_

"Seriously!?" Montmorency gawked.

"You mean it?" Katie looked back up surprised.

" _I do,"_ the spirit said. As if to prove the point her body trembled before a small portion of it broke away and formed into a thin line that floated elegantly in the air.

Montmorency snapped from her shock at the sight of the water. "G-Guiche!"

"Huh? Oh!" The playboy quickly realized what she was telling him to do. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a glass bottle, opening it up and holding it to the water line. It flew in without any resistance. He closed the lid once it was fully inside and held it up for everyone to see.

"We got it," Katie said in amazement. "We actually got a Spirit's Tear."

"Unbelievable," Montmorency muttered.

"Mrrow mrrow," Cat Shark's eyes gleamed at the water.

Ryoga broke from the bottle back to the Water Spirit, confusion written all over him. "Why?"

" _I said before I would never hurt you, my King. I meant that with all my heart. For you, I would do anything you ask to the fullest of my ability,"_ the spirit bowed to the former Barian. _"Thus, I swear under the oath to you, King of the United Lands of the Poseidon Ocean."_

Another skip of Ryoga's heart went through his chest. That was the same line he heard when trapped in the water sphere. Why did it seem so familiar? Just what did it all mean?

"United Lands?" Katie said confused.

"Poseidon Ocean?" Guiche put a hand to his chin. "There aren't any oceans by that name near Halkeginia."

"Of course there isn't. Just like there aren't any United Lands," Montmorency informed. "Which brings up the question," she pointed to Ryoga. "WHO THE HECK ARE YOU!?"

The question that was shared by every noble's mind. Even Louise's grip loosened as she watched Ryoga wondering. After a moment of silence from the water user pulled his arm out of Louise's grip, much to her disappointment, and straightened himself.

"Does it matter?"

"Excuse me!?" Montmorency screeched.

"You heard me."

"Does it ma- of course it matters!"

"M-Montmorency, calm down," Guiche tried to settle his love.

"Calm down!? How can I calm down about this!? How can any of you be!?" Montmorency yelled. This was just too much for her mind to take all at once. She turned back to Ryoga and shouted. "You lied about not knowing your heritage and that your magic wasn't unique! A Water Spirit calls you king! She bows to you and calls you by a different name! And now we're hearing about some lands we don't know of!? I think we deserve some answers!"

"Answers that I should give to someone who caused all this in the first place?" The ocean-blue eyes of the Duelist directed themselves at Montmorency. She felt an angry and challenging presence under their gaze that made her freeze and keep quiet. "Let's not forget we're here because of _you_ ," he spoke with a low fury. "I warned you about doing something you'd regret, but you ignored it and made a love potion without a second thought. I have no reason to tell you _anything._ Hell, after Louise is cured you best stay the hell away from me and her for a good long while unless it's an absolute emergency or someone's about to die."

Montmorency nervously gulped. She didn't need to be told twice to understand what might happen if she did otherwise.

"Sir Shark, please," Katie spoke softly. "We're just very confused by all of this. We aren't trying to be intrusive, we just wish to understand."

Ryoga's flare lessened, though didn't fully dissipate as he spoke. "Katie, you consider me a friend, right?"

"Huh?" Katie blinked. "Of course I do Sir Shark."

"Do you see our friendship as any different than before?"

"N-No, why would I?"

"Then tell me something. Would you think of me any differently than the person you know now if I told you who I really was? Would you judge me for my past and the actions I've committed? Would you reject me for them?"

"Of course no-" Katie's words halted upon seeing Ryoga's stare. It was like he was judging her to see if she would lie, and for some reason she became uncertain because of it. "I…I mean…that is…I…" she slowly became quiet until she hung her head ashamed. "I…I don't know…"

Ryoga stayed silent for a bit before giving a light smile. "I'm glad you're honest about it."

"Huh?" Katie brought her head back up. "Y-You're not mad at me?"

"Why would I be mad at you?" Ryoga's brow rose questioningly. "I'm angry, sure, but not because of you. You didn't do anything wrong. I'm angry from having been dragged into the open like this," he glanced down to the Barian pendant. His fingers gently moved against the center gem. "The truth is I don't like hiding things either, even if I am really good at it. But my past…it's not something I can openly talk about," his eyes glazed over slightly. "I've…done a lot of things I'm not proud of. Even more I've regretted. It's why I've kept quiet about myself till this point. It's a history I can never forget and will always haunt me for as long as I live, and one I deserve because of it."

"Sir Shark…"

"But I made a decision after Louise summoned me here," Ryoga let go of the pendant. "To take this chance as a way of starting over, and not let who I was in the past dictate the me of now. I don't know if it'll stay that way forever, but I'm just me, and only I decide who I am. And if you respect that in any way, you'll forget what you've heard today and continue to treat me as you have already."

"Are you serious?" Montmorency asked in disbelief. "How do you expect us to just ignore something like this?"

"However way you can," Ryoga shot back. His words implied they had no choice. "I don't need this getting out any more than it has now. Not until I either have no choice or I'm ready to face it directly. If you can't do that much, then at least keep your mouths shut in public and don't tell anyone else."

"You say that, I'm not sure it'll be that easy," Guiche said with a side of caution.

"But if it's that important to him then we shouldn't intrude," Katie said. "Would any of us wish the same done to our privacy?"

Guiche flinched at the words, remembering full well the secrets he kept in the past regarding the first-year. "I...suppose not. And if it is as personal as he says it is then it would be rather rude to push on the matter," he said with a nod of his head. "Very well Ryoga. Out of respect for your privacy and as an apology for my previous sleights against you, I shall be honored to keep what I've heard locked away in my heart."

Montmorency huffed and crossed her arms, not liking the idea of keeping silent. A nudge from Guiche and a glare from Ryoga swiftly changed her mind. "A-Alright, alright, I get it. I won't tell anyone," she reluctantly agreed.

"How encouraging," Ryoga sarcastically remarked.

"Sir Shark?" Katie called out softly.

"Yeah?"

"If…well that is…" Katie briefly hesitated before steeling herself and asking. "I just want to know. If at some point in the future you do have to reveal who you are…would you then be willing to tell us about it?

The former king stiffened. After a minute he relaxed and gave a light shrug. "Who knows? Just have to wait and see if that day ever comes. If it does, then I might answer your questions," he paused and glared at Montmorency. "Well, for most of you anyways."

Katie smiled, accepting that answer. "Alright. And I promise, I won't tell anyone else about this."

Ryoga huffed and smiled back. "It's not you I'm worried about."

"What about me?" Louise said as she tugged on Ryoga's sleeve. "You'll tell me the truth, right? You trust me way more than them after all," she sent a narrowed glare at Katie, who chuckled nervously and took a small step back.

"Not while you're like this," Ryoga replied while pulling Louise off.

"But I love you so much!"

"That's not you speaking Louise, it's the potion. Once you're back to normal we'll discuss the subject. Till then just be patient, alright?"

"I still don't get what you mean by normal," Louise pouted.

" _Hahaha,"_ a soft laugh emitted from the Water Spirit. " _How nostalgic. To hear that commanding voice of yours after so long._ _It has not faded even after all this time."_

"Glad you find this so entertaining," Ryoga grunted.

" _Does that offend you, my King?"_ The spirit teased.

"Offend isn't the word I'd use," Ryoga's brow furrowed. "You know I still have no reason to trust you. Even more so now because of you causing this."

" _The truth would have revealed itself in time, my King. Nevertheless, I admit my haste was at fault here. It was never my intention to force your exposure like this."_

"Claim what you want, but don't expect me to buy into that crap when you never even answered my original question."

The spirit's expression dropped and became noticeably more serious. _"No…I suppose I never did._ _However, my King, your question of who I am is one which you know the answer to already. You have simply forgotten it."_

Ryoga looked taken aback. "Forgotten?"

"How do you forget something as important as this?" Montmorency murmured.

For once Ryoga found himself in agreement with the girl. He may have lost the memories of his previous lives with each previous incarnation, but Durbe helped to change that while in Heartland. The white knight made him recollect his first human and Barian lives, something that hadn't been done before, and from there all the memories of the past kept pouring in until he recalled everything about who he was.

It became photographed into his brain, with no detail left untouched down to the most minuscule of actions, intending to permanently stay this time. Even when summoned to this world he didn't lose anything. He even checked his memories at least once a week just to be certain, and each time it always came back the same. Who he was, where he came from, and everything he'd done, from each and every life. Nothing was ever lost to him.

And now all of a sudden he was being told he had forgotten something?

"That's impossible," he sternly declared, refusing to believe such an outcome.

" _Under the circumstances which have led you to this point, I would agree,"_ the Water Spirit acknowledged. _"But you have felt it, haven't you? Deep in your heart. Like something very important is missing. It feels there, but you are unable to see or take hold of it, just like the air that circles us right now."_

Ryoga's eyes widened. How did she-

" _But of course, I am also fully aware that you are not one who is swayed by messily words alone. Therefore, I will show you that I speak the truth and help to restore the memories that have been lost. If you will but indulge me on one condition."_

"Indulge you?" Ryoga repeated with suspicion. "Haven't you been referring to me as your king this whole time? Assuming that's even true, couldn't I just order you to show me this proof and be done with it?"

"Yeah!" Louise immediately agreed, mostly just to appeal to her love.

" _You could. However, would you be giving an order as a proper king to one he knows is his subject, when you are uncertain yourself? If not, then I could in theory deny your request,"_ the spirit said with a knowing and almost cunning tone. The way Ryoga snarled indicated that he knew she was right and didn't like it. _"And forgive my coarseness, my King, but it is not you to whom I am requesting this of,"_ the spirit raised a watery finger and pointed. _"It is that human there."_

Katie blinked. She looked around to see who the spirit was pointing to but instead saw everyone looking at her. It took a few seconds before her eyes shot open in realization.

"Huh!? M-M-Me!?"

"What's the meaning of this?" Ryoga demanded to know.

" _I am simply requesting the favor this little human spoke of earlier,"_ the Water Spirit replied.

"W-What do you mean?" Katie questioned.

" _Did you not before say that you would do anything I asked?"_ The spirit's words seemed to connect with the brunette. _"At the time, you requested my tear for this human-"_ she motioned to Louise. _"-and I parted with it for the sake of my king. But now I ask you, human who doesn't know the reason of this world, are you one who keeps their word? Would you truly do anything if it meant helping my king?"_ The spirit tilted her head. _"Or was that simply a lie?"_

"Of course not!" Katie shouted.

" _No hesitation in your answer,"_ the spirit observed. Her lips moved to give a smile. _"You have indeed made close friends, my King."_

"Friends who love to act without thinking," the Duelist muttered before turning to face the first-year. "Katie, don't indulge her. She's just trying to use you to get to me. This isn't your problem to deal with."

"But Sir Shark, I want to help," Katie said.

"You can do that by not being involved."

"But what about your memories?"

Ryoga averted his gaze. "We don't know if that's true or not. She could be lying."

"Doubtful," Montmorency spoke up. "The Water Spirit also has another name, the Spirit of Oaths. People come here to make oaths to her, and it's said when they do that those oaths become unbreakable. A spirit like that would be bound by the ancient magic that ties those oaths together, and wouldn't be capable of lying."

"Exactly!" Katie beamed. "You see Sir Shark. If she says she can help you get your memories back then it has to be true."

"That still doesn't excuse it," Ryoga argued. "We don't even know what she wants. You could be putting yourself in danger for all you know."

" _If that is your concern, my King, then aid her,"_ the Water Spirit interrupted. _"I did not say you could not assist in this matter. I only wish to request it of the one who would willingly accept. The means of which to obtain the end results do not matter to me."_

"How generous of you," Ryoga scowled.

"Sir Shark, please," Katie pleaded. "I know I don't understand everything and may just be rushing into this, but what I do know is that the Water Spirit really sounds like she cares for you. Can't you hear the sincerity in her words? Miss Montmorency said she couldn't lie, so that must mean you two were close once, and I can only imagine how painful it must be for her to not have you remember who she is."

Ryoga glanced at the spirit, who said nothing but seemed to have lowered her head ever so slightly.

"I get this is something personal between you two, but don't you want to remember her? To get your memories back? If my accepting her wish can help with that, then I want to do it for the both of you," Katie gave a determined look. "I told you before but I'll do so again. I won't sit idle and do nothing while my friends are in trouble. I know my brother would do the same for his friends, and I want to do it for mine. Because nobody should have to lose those they care about, even in memories."

"Katie, you…" Ryoga's eyes locked with Katie's. He could see the determination in her was unfaltering, and got the notion that even if he did refuse, she might just do it anyways regardless of what he said.

And dammit all if it didn't remind him of Yuma.

"Do what you want," Ryoga finally relented as he put his hands in his pockets and turned away.

Katie smiled brightly. "Thank you, Sir Shark!"

"Hey!" Louise suddenly got in the brunette's face. "Don't act all cheerful with him! Ryoga is mine, remember that! I won't let you harpies steal him away!"

"Eh!?" Katie blushed. "N-No, that wasn't- I wasn't trying to-"

"So, what exactly _is_ this request of yours?" Ryoga asked the spirit, ignoring the girls in the background.

" _I simply wish for her to repel those that attack me,"_ the Water Spirit answered.

"Repel?" Katie broke away from Louise asking.

" _Yes,"_ the spirit's face became cold. _"Some of your kind have begun attacking my very domain and intend to bring me harm. I have been too busy raising the water level and no longer have the energy to fight these assailants. Deal with them, and I will show you, my King, the proof that you desire."_

"Who would do something so terrible, attacking the Water Spirit like that?" Guiche pondered.

"Who knows?" Montmorency brought a hand to her chin in thought. "But to even be capable of something like that…"

"I accept!" Katie declared.

"HUH!?" The collective cry came from the two blondes.

"Well I mean after what I just said I can't exactly say no," Katie chuckled. "Besides, if someone is threatening a spirit, then it's our duties as nobles to help, isn't it?"

"I…suppose so," Guiche said reluctantly.

"No way! I refuse to get involved in a fight!" Montmorency protested.

"Then leave, but know if you do I'll be very upset," Ryoga's threat was clear as day.

"Gah! A-Alright fine! Do whatever you want!" Montmorency crossed her arms and huffed in defeat.

"We're in agreement then?" Katie asked.

"Looks like it," Ryoga nodded.

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark meowed.

"Heh. Glad at least one of is excited."

* * *

The home of the Water Spirit was at the very bottom of the lake. According to her there were two assailants, both using magic, who entered her lake during the middle of the night and attacked her there. They assaulted her with an array of fire, trying to chip away pieces of her body and hit where her soul was located, which if done enough times would kill her. These assaults came every night for the past few days, meaning that tonight would be the no different.

After receiving the information the spirit left the group to prepare themselves, wishing Ryoga and Katie luck and praying they would succeed. The twin moons now took to the sky as night covered the land. The group hid themselves in the shade of the trees on the shore at Gallia's side, the place that the Water Spirit said the assailants always came from, and began quietly waiting for them to appear.

"It still seems impossible to attack a Water Spirit," Katie spoke, keeping her voice low so as to not give away their position. "If she lives at the bottom of the lake, how could they reach her there, or even breathe under the water?"

"It could be a water elemental user," Montmorency considered. "With a ball of air created around the user it's not that hard to get to the bottom of the lake. At the same time, even if you use water magic and are able to breathe underwater, directly touching the water would be suicidal as the Water Spirit controls it here. So maybe it was an air element mage, that way they can avoid touching the water."

"But how could someone wound it and still go unnoticed?" Guiche wondered.

"She did say she was weakened from raising the water level," Ryoga noted.

"That would certainly do it," Montmorency affirmed. "Besides, if you separate the Water Spirit from her source of water, her magic will eventually wear out. She said they used fire, which would sound illogical, but a strong enough flame could pierce through the water and would gradually make her evaporate. It becomes impossible to change it back into a liquid again after being turned into gas."

"It becomes impossible to turn back?" Katie asked.

"The Water Spirit's soul is like moss. Even being torn to pieces it can reconnect itself into one whole piece again as long as it has the other pieces. It is a really complicated creature compared to us."

"And because the attackers aren't touching the water, she can't even reach them," Ryoga noted.

"It's rather terrifying," Montmorency sweated a little at the idea. "Do you know how scary the Water Spirit can be? Even if for a single moment one lost concentration and the air ball disappeared allowing the water to connect, the result would be dreadful. Water controls the lives of all creatures, and if you lose the protection of the air ball, then you would enter the Water Spirit's territory, where challenging her is something that even the greatest daredevil would not do."

"Yet we have two succeeding in just that," Ryoga's brow furrowed. Whoever they were up against were not to be underestimated.

A pinch was felt on the boy's arm. "Ryoga, why do you keep talking with Montmorency?" Louise said pouting. "Do you like her more than me?"

Ryoga mentally groaned. This was so not the time for this. "No Louise, it isn't like that."

"What about Katie then?" The pinkette started raising her voice. "Do you like her that much more!? Do you hate me!?"

"H-Hey keep it down!"

"But I just want to love yo- mph!" Louise was cut off by Ryoga's hand over her mouth.

"Keep quiet," Ryoga hissed, trying very hard not to lose his temper. He counted to three and took a deep breath to collect himself before speaking. "We're doing this for your sake Louise. Just keep remembering that and stay with Cat Shark, alright? This is all just for you, nobody else. You're the reason I'm here, got it?"

Louise nodded and gave a cheery smile when he pulled his hand away. "Right. All for me. I'll go and wait for you then."

She gave Ryoga a quick hug before walking back over to Cat Shark. The Xyz hung its' head apologetically.

"Mrrow mrrow."

" _I know buddy, I know,"_ Ryoga sighed. He officially hated love potions.

"How terrifying. To think the effect would be this amazing," Montmorency commented.

"Don't you even start," Ryoga growled.

The blonde quickly turned away. "I-In any event, I'll leave this to you guys. I'm not a fighter after all," she excused nervously.

Ryoga grunted but didn't bother retorting. She wanted to be a coward then let her, but he sure as hell wasn't going to let her walk away from this.

"By the way Ryoga, what did you need me to dig holes for?" Guiche asked curious. Before they went into hiding the purple teen asked if he could dig several holes in the area around the shoreline. The task was easy enough for the earth manipulator, but he never did find out the reason for it since Ryoga sent him away shortly after.

"Call it a precautionary measure," the Duelist answered. His eyes then became sharp and moved to the left. "Someone's here."

From the treeline two shadows suddenly walked out onto the shore. They wore long hooded robes so it was hard to tell if they were men or women. They looked at each other briefly before each pulled out a wand from beneath their robes and began chanting.

There was no mistaking it. These had to be the assailants the spirit spoke of.

"Looks like they've finally decided to show themselves," Ryoga turned to the group. "Katie, Guiche, you two come with me," he glared at Montmorency. "If you're not going to help, then at least watch Louise and stay out of sight. Let's move."

"Right," Katie said determined.

"M-Maybe I should stay here and protect Montmorency instead?" Guiche tried to excuse.

"Shut up and get moving," Montmorency hissed at him.

"R-Right, of course," Guiche hung his head defeated and followed suite.

The trio slowly moved closer towards the assailants and stopped just behind the trees to their backs. Ryoga activated his Duel Disk and reached his hand for Derflinger, preparing to draw the sword at a moment's notice. "Katie, what element do you use?"

"Wind," Katie replied. "Though I'm not as experienced in my element as Guiche or Miss Montmorency are with theirs."

"Can you at least summon and control a strong gust?"

"I'll need a few seconds, but yes."

Ryoga nodded and faced Guiche. "What about you Guiche? Can you do _anything_ else outside those valkyries of yours?"

"What do you take me for?" The noble said looking insulted. "I am an earth mage after all. I can move the earth however I wish. I simply prefer the company of my lovely creations."

The water user ignored the self-grandeur and went over the situation in his head. Slowly but surely a plan began shaping itself together. "Alright, here's what we'll do. Guiche, I want you to use your magic on those assailants. Try to bind them if you can, but if you can't it's fine. I just need you to act as a decoy. Keep up the pressure and make sure they're distracted," he glanced over to Katie. "While that's going on, Katie, use your wind to kick up the sand and direct it at their faces. If we can take their sight away they won't be able to fight back so easily. The moment an opening is given-" he tapped the sword at his side. "-I'll move in and try to disarm them. If they don't have their wands then they shouldn't be able to fight back, and we can capture them for interrogation."

"Understood," Katie acknowledged.

"Let's hope this works," Guiche said worried.

"Just play your part right and it should. If things go south, then you'll get to see why I asked you to dig those holes," Ryoga drew out Derflinger. "Now spread out and get ready. We begin once Guiche acts."

The two nodded and went in separate directions. Ryoga remained crouched in his spot and kept his sight firmly locked on the cloaked figures.

"Nervous partner?" Derflinger whispered in his grip.

"Cautious," Ryoga corrected.

"Seems like the same thing to me."

"I guess," the Duelist shrugged. "It's just something you learn to pick up on when you've lived like I have."

Derflinger chuckled. "I guess so. Have to say, you've made me even more curious about you now. I only saw glimpses of what that spirit put in your head, but even in my long existence I don't think I've come across something as odd as you."

Ryoga smirked. "I'll take that as a compliment."

Movement to the left cut the conversation. Guiche leapt out from the forest cover and stood in the open, his rose wand in hand and pointed straight at the assailants.

"Earth, the great mother! Answer my words and become an unbreakable hold!" The noble chanted. The ground where the assailants stood suddenly rose up and became a huge hand-like tentacle that quickly twined around their feet, intending to bind them in place.

It didn't last long though as the taller of the two assailants acted almost immediately and aimed their wand down. A powerful stream of fire was unleashed out the end and engulfed the soil gripping the pair's feet, burning it down in a matter of seconds.

"What?" Guiche yelled surprised. He grit his teeth and summoned waves of earth around the assailants which were then sent hurdling towards them.

They didn't get anywhere close this time as the second and smaller assailant lifted their wand, which resembled more of a staff, and unleashed a powerful cyclone of wind at the closest pillar destroying it. Their partner then moved and sent another wave of fire to intercept the next pillar while the smaller one chanted again. This pattern repeated as the two began covering each other's backs, with one intercepting the attacks as the other began channeling for the next spell.

"I can't get any openings!" Guiche panicked.

"Winds of the four corners, storms of the rising currents!" Katie jumped out from the other side of the bank and aimed her wand. "Feather Break!"

A small cyclone of wind kicked up around Katie. The sand beneath the cyclone was dragged into the current before moving towards the assailants and shooting at their hoods. The taller assailant brought up their hand to cover their face, but the smaller one didn't seem to falter. They swung their staff to the side causing a much larger sphere of wind to shot out and disperse the cyclone and sand in an instant. Then, much to Guiche and Katie's surprise, the smaller figure turned and aimed their staff, not at either of them, but behind it towards Ryoga, who was right behind the assailants.

" _What!?"_ Ryoga thought startled. He instinctively jumped to the side, barley avoiding a huge gust of wind sent his way, only to find another approaching at insane speeds. No room to dodge he dug Derflinger deep into the ground and raised the Duel Disk over his face. The Wind struck hard, intending to blow him away but he held firmly onto the sword handle to keep himself anchored. The wind eventually passed and he lowered the Duel Disk to send a hardened gaze at the smaller figure. _"That one…did they sense me approaching?"_

The smaller figure raised their staff and summoned several ice arrows. The arrows flew through the air at Ryoga, who reacted by bringing up Derflinger and breaking the attack to pieces. He dashed forward at the figure only for the taller one to finally take notice of him. They moved in front of their smaller companion and released a stream of flame in his direction.

"Watch out partner!" Derf warned.

"I know!" Ryoga ducked down low to the ground letting the flames pass over his head. He didn't stop and rolled to the side to get back to his feet, only to be caught off guard as another burst of wind rapidly hurled towards him.

"Feather Shot!"

Before he could move to dodge the attack was intercepted by another yet smaller stream of wind from Katie. The spell pierced from the side of the larger current, causing it to become disrupted and expand before exploding outwards with a heavy gust which rushed over Ryoga's form. He skidded back from the force but was otherwise unharmed.

"I won't let you hurt him!" Katie declared as she fired another gust storm at the assailants.

The smaller one turned and summoned their own gust to intercept. The two forces clashed together and fought for dominance, neither mage giving in. Unfortunately, the assailant's spell proved to be stronger and quickly overtook Katie's, giving her no time to react as the attack struck her square in the chest and knocked her into the air.

"Ahh!" Katie cried as she landed hard on her back.

"Crap!" Guiche cursed.

"Katie!" Ryoga yelled worried.

The brunette moaned and shakily lifted herself up, her skull pounding and her mind a bit dazed. She grabbed her head and tried to focus only to feel a sudden rush of heat draw near. She turned to the source and her eyes widened in fear as she saw a large fireball rapidly heading for her.

"Continuous Trap activate, Bomb Urchin!" Ryoga shouted. His Duel Disk lit up as a card formed in the air, the picture on it depicting a black and metal urchin-looking bomb with eyes being surrounded by explosions.

The card glowed brightly as the ground between the assailants and Katie erupted upwards. From it emerged a metal looking object very similar to the one on the card's art that moved right into the path of the flames. The flames struck the object with immense strength but proceeded no further as they were halted in place. The attack held for a while before finally dispersing, yet once it did the object began to rapidly pulsate and glow very brightly.

A second later, it erupted into a violent explosion.

Heat and dust flew outwards in all directions along with a large seismic wave that Katie and the assailants were right in the path of. They quickly covered their faces and braced against the impact, with the assailants digging their heels into the ground so as to not be sent flying. The shockwave soon passed and allowed the assailants to look where the explosion took place. The area was covered in thick heavy smoke which clouded the explosive site, but soon began lifting to reveal what was left, which was nothing more than a large molten crater with burnt earth and ash scattered around.

As the assailants tried to understand what just happened the ground beneath them began to rumble. Suddenly five more urchin-looking objects burst out around them and began hovering in the air, circling the duo. They froze at the sight, both from getting caught off guard and being filled with concern and fear considering what they just witnessed. But it was the shorter one who was also surprised for a different reason.

"This is…"

"Katie!" Ryoga and Guiche rushed over to the first-year, with the Duelist kneeling down to check on her. "Hey, you alright?"

"I-I'm- ack, I'm fine," Katie spoke with a light cough. She coughed a few more times before collecting herself and looking at Ryoga. "W-What was that just now?" She noticed the other bombs around the assailants. "Huh? W-What are those?"

"My precautionary measure," Ryoga responded.

"Those things?" Guiche inquired. "That's what you had me dig those holes for? To hide those? Are they some kind of spell of yours?"

"More like a trap," Ryoga answered. He helped Katie to her feet and handed her to Guiche before turning his head towards the assailants. They remained cemented in place and were watching the floating spheres, most likely worried about setting one off if they moved. Ryoga's eyes hardened. "Stay here," he instructed before walking over to the assailants, not giving the nobles a chance to respond. The cloaked duo quickly took note of his approach and faced him. He stopped a little a ways outside the circle of bombs. "If you know what's good for you, you'll surrender now," he swung Derflinger to point at one of the bombs. "You saw what one of these things was capable of. I don't think you want to test what five more can do."

The pair stopped moving, but not for the reasons Ryoga would expect. Hearing his voice caused a change in their posture. They looked at each other and then back at him.

"Darling?"

Ryoga froze.

Did that one just say "darling?" And that sultry-sounding voice…that almost sounded like-

"Ryoga!"

A sudden shout drew everyone's attention. It was Louise, who was standing on the shoreline a ways from them with her wand pointed at the cloaked figures.

"Louise!?" Ryoga yelled confused. Why was she here? Where was Cat Shark or Montmorency?

"Don't bully Ryoga!"

Ryoga's eyes widened as Louise raised her wand. "WAIT LOUISE!"

 **BOOM!**

A piercing screech. A heavy impact. A loss of weight. A feeling of heat and dirt.

Ryoga felt all of these as he crashed onto his back. His thoughts became a jumbled mess and the noise around him became muffled. A groan escaped his mouth as he laid there, dazed and confused before pushing himself up, albeit a bit shakily. He saw someone approach, and through his slightly hazy vision recognized it to be Louise. She shouted something to him but he couldn't quite make it out, the humming in his ears dulling her voice.

Katie and Guiche approached shortly after her and Louise started yelling at them. As Ryoga watched his hearing slowly started coming back, and with it the sound of cracking flames. Looking past the others, he noticed a large cloud of smoke rising from the shore behind them with scattered flames all about. He then realized that was the spot where the assailants were standing just a few seconds ago.

The spot where the mines were.

Ryoga felt like a cold dagger pierced his heart. "No!" He shot to his feet only to nearly tumble.

"Sir Shark!" Katie quickly caught him and helped him up.

"Ryoga!" Louise moved in front of his vision. Her eyes were wet and looked ready to break down into tears. "Ryoga are you alright? I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to hit you! I was-"

"Move!" Ryoga pushed Louise aside and tried to walk forward, only to be held back by Katie.

"Sir Shark wait!" The brunette yelled worried. "You shouldn't move yet!"

"You're lucky you were as far from that ring as you were," Guiche said. "Had you been any closer you would could been seriously injured or died!"

"That doesn't matter!" Ryoga roared, fear filling his voice. "Those two in there! They weren't assailants! They were-"

Suddenly the large cloud of smoke blew apart as a heavy gust struck the group. Through the breeze they saw, much to their astonishment, a dome of wind magic that was spiraling around at immeasurable speeds. The wind started dying down as the dome began losing speed and dissipating to reveal the two cloaked assailants within it. They appeared completely unharmed, though whether by the explosion or the wind dome their hoods were now blown off to reveal their faces in the moonlight.

Faces everybody recognized.

"Kirche! Tabitha!" Guiche shouted loudly.

"N-No way!" Katie stuttered shocked. "W-What are you two doing here!?"

"I would ask you the same," Kiche fell to her knees and let out a loud sigh. "But right now, I think I'm just amazed we survived that explosion. That was too much heat even for me," she turned to Tabitha and hugged her friend around the waist. "Thank you so much Tabitha! Your reflexes saved our butts from being toasted."

Tabitha gave a small nod to her friend. She turned to Ryoga, who stared at her with a mixture of confusion and relief, and tilted her head. "Are you alright?" She asked in her usual monotone of a voice.

"Am I alright?" Ryoga parroted. He shook his head in disbelief. "I should be the one asking that. Why are you two here?"

The girls once again looked at each other, then back to the group. Kirche gave a sheepish chuckle.

"Weeeeelllll…"

* * *

A bonfire was set up for everyone to gather around and rest up at. Kirche roasted some meat with Tabitha for them to eat while Montmorency healed up Ryoga with a water spell, with Louise apologizing the whole time next to him for hurting him. Once everyone got their food and was settled down for the most part, Ryoga decided to take the lead of interrogating the two girls.

"So, care to explain why you two are attacking the Water Spirit?" He questioned Kirche.

"Why do you need to defend it?" she countered back.

"This isn't a game Kirche," Ryoga said annoyed.

"Really? Cause I enjoy playing around with you," the Germanian winked for emphasis.

"You play with Kirche?" Louise, who had been nestling against Ryoga's arm for some time, pulled his sleeve. Her eyes held a sad look to them. "Do you think Kirche is better than me?"

Ryoga restrained himself from facepalming. "No Louise. I would never think her better than you. Hell, you know how I think of her. I'd rather keep her back with a thirty-foot fishing pole if I could."

"How cruel darling. Though if it's a fishing pole you could always 'reel me in,'" Kirche gave a playful growl.

"Don't you make this worse!'

"So I'm way better than her?" Louise asked almost excited.

"Yes, way better," Ryoga ignored Kirche's mocking gasp. "Now do me a favor and let us talk okay? Go hang out with Cat Shark or something."

"Mrrow!" The Xyz cheered from its' spot. Unlike everyone else the spirit was further down the shoreline of the lake, spending most of its' time looking for other fish to bat at with its' fin. Apparently even fish-cats enjoyed hunting their aquatic brethren like felines.

Who knew?

"No way!" Louise shook her head in refusal. "I don't need to rest! Don't you want to talk with me? That's the twenty-seventh time you've told me you needed to talk to someone!"

She counted. She fucking _counted_. That was both amazing and terrifying in its' own right, and just continued to add more reasons to hate love potions.

"Louise…" Ryoga put a palm on her head and rubbed it. The small noble gave an almost purring sound in her throat from the sensation, one he chose to pretend he didn't hear. "I know you want to talk but this is something important I need to discuss with them. I promise though, once everything is done and we get you back to normal, I'll talk with you as much as you want without any breaks."

"Really!?" Louise's eyes lit up brightly.

"Really," the Duelist removed his hand. "Now go by Cat Shark okay?"

Louise directed her gaze over to the shore and then back at him but didn't move. Instead she bashfully began twirling her fingers around. "I…I want a kiss first."

A choking cough was heard from Guiche, who was swallowing his meal when he heard that, while the fork Katie held scratched against her plate very hard.

"…What?" Ryoga deadpanned.

"I want you to promise me with a kiss! Do it or I won't leave!" Louise said loudly.

Kirche stared at them, her mouth agape in unbelievability, while Tabitha simply gazed with her usual blank expression, though there was a hint of curiosity. Montmorency smacked Guiche's back several times to help him out, and Katie felt a strange twisting sensation in her stomach at the idea of the Sir Shark kissing someone. She didn't notice how the grip on her fork tightened dangerously.

Ryoga's eye began twitching. "No."

"I won't take no for an answer this time Ryoga!" Louise puffed up her cheeks.

The purple-clad teen got the feeling she wasn't lying and quietly cursed. He then exhaled loudly and hung his head back. "Fine."

"Really!?" Louise's excitement returned while everyone else, save Tabitha, gasped.

"Sure. But you have to close your eyes."

Louise wasted no time and did exactly that. She puckered her lips and waited. At first she felt nothing, but just as she believed Ryoga would back off from their agreement she suddenly felt two soft mounds press against her lips, enticing a shiver down her spine and a soft and pleased moan out of her throat. The feeling held for a few seconds before pulling away, letting Louise give out a happy sigh as she opened her eyes.

"There, that satisfy you?" Ryoga asked.

"Mhm," Louise hummed. She tried to move closer against him only to be held back by his finger pressing against her forehead.

"Not now. Go play with Cat Shark," the former king suggested.

"Mhm," Louise nodded and went by the Xyz with a light skip in her step.

Everyone watching moved their heads back and forth between the two. Nobody spoke until Guiche finally opened his mouth. "What was that?" His words reflected the thoughts of everyone else.

Ryoga shrugged and lifted his right hand, showing his index and middle fingers pressed tightly together in a curled manner. The same fingers he pressed against Louise's pink lips. "Just a trick I picked up from having to deal with my sister."

It was always handy for him when they were kids in Heartland. Rio always doted on him for affection, including sibling kisses, and he, being the boy that he was, wasn't too fond of something so "gross" and "girly". He picked up this trick one day when watching another pair of siblings in the park doing a similar motion with their fingers, and from that point used it to trick Rio into closing her eyes and believing she kissed him or that he was kissing her. It lasted quite a while until the day she discovered his trick and kicked him in the shin for it.

Hard.

He made sure never to pull that trick on her again.

"A handy trick indeed," Montmorency muttered with a glance towards Guiche.

"I'm sorry, what just happened?" Kirche snapped out of her bewilderment asking. "How did you manage to domesticate Louise to this degree? I didn't think you were the kind of guy who was able to entice a girl, yet she is already treating you like a god!" She said in admiration. Had she underestimated Ryoga's social ability with females? If so then she certainly needed to step up her game with him.

"Nothing like that," Ryoga shot down. "Just little blondie over there making a love potion that Louise drank by accident," he paused and frowned. "Also, what do you mean by 'entice a girl?'"

"Love potion? Why did you make such a thing?" Kirche prodded at Montmorency, outright ignoring Ryoga.

"Oh, I was just curious to see if I could do it," the noble replied, sidestepping the question while nibbling at her food.

Kirche chuckled and gave a sly look. "Really, a woman who has no confidence in her charms is the worst. Don't you agree?"

"Go die!"

"I-I'm sure Miss Montmorency meant well," Katie defended. "I mean we've both seen how Guiche can be with females," the playboy felt a stab in his chest at her words. "She probably just wanted a way of feeling secure around him. Even if it did mean…drastic measures."

"Drastic measures indeed," Kirche smirked.

Montmorency's face was an apple in color by this point. "Oh shut up! Anyways, it's all Guiche's fault! If he had drunk it like he was supposed to we wouldn't need to search for the antidote now!"

"Are you saying it's my fault to begin with?" Guiche questioned disbelieving.

"In _any_ case," Ryoga interrupted. This was neither the time nor place to deal with this kind of idiocy. "Because of that we had to come here to get a tear from the Water Spirit. It's the last ingredient she needed to make an antidote for Louise."

"So that's it, that's why you're protecting the Water Spirit," Kirche said.

"It was…" Ryoga gazed at the bonfire. "Until something… _else_ happened."

Kirche's brow rose. "Something else?"

"Sir Shark, are you sure you-" Katie began only to be cut off by the Duelist.

"They were going to learn regardless once the spirit came back. Might as well get this over with now then have them freak when we confront her," Ryoga sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "To make a long story short, apparently I met the Water Spirit some time ago. According to her we were…close…though I don't really believe it myself," he muttered the later part quietly to himself.

"Close?" Montmorency mocked. "Says the one she calls 'my King.'"

"My King?" Kirche pondered.

"I was _trying_ to hold off on that," Ryoga growled with a look at Montmorency that screamed of murder. The noble girl "eeped" and scooted away from him for safety. He scoffed and turned back to Kirche. "But yeah, we were close. Though it seems I've… 'forgotten' her due to memory loss or something. She offered to restore the memories I had of her under the condition that we took care of the ones who were assaulting her every night. Of course, we didn't expect it to be you two."

"So that's why you fought us," Kirche glanced awkwardly at Tabitha, the bespectacled girl keeping her eyes fixed on the fire with a glazed expression. "This is bad. We can't fight you, but if we don't stop the Water Spirit, Tabitha's family will be in trouble."

"What do you mean?" Katie asked.

Kirche hesitated. She couldn't openly tell the private matters of Tabitha's family to them. That was something personal to her friend and something she wanted to help with herself. Thinking quickly she came up with an excuse.

"W-Well, the water levels have caused damage to the surrounding area. Tabitha's family has suffered losses because of the damage, so we have been entrusted to get rid of it."

"So you have your reasons too," Guiche nodded in understanding. "How complicated this has become."

"What do we do then?" Katie wondered. "We can't let Miss Tabitha get in trouble. But if the rising water level is a problem then how can we stop it?"

Ryoga's brow furrowed. _"Wait a second…why_ is _the water level rising?"_ He wondered. When they confronted the spirit she only told them about the assailants and of her apparent connection to him. But she never mentioned anything regarding her reason for raising the water level. They never even thought to question it because of being too caught up in her connection with him. Montmorency said before that the water was rising because the spirit was mad, but that farmer they spoke to earlier also said that it had been rising for over two years. If so then it couldn't be Kirche or Tabitha's fault considering they were hired to take care of the problem only recently.

Meaning there had to be some other cause behind this. Something that they were missing.

" _One way to find out,"_ Ryoga stood up from his seat and walked away from the bonfire, drawing everyone's attention.

"Sir Shark? Where are you going?" Katie called out.

Ryoga continued walking until he reached the shore, his eyes hardening on the water's surface. "Water Spirit! I know you're out there! Come out! I want to ask you something!"

Kirche tilted her head. "What is he-"

The Germanian didn't get to finish her sentence as the lake surface suddenly exploded upwards. It twisted and molded itself until the aquatic form of Rio was present once again, taking the same size as before and floating in front of the Duelist.

" _You summoned me, my King?"_

"H-Huh!?" Kirche yelped. She and the others got to their feet and turned to watch what was happening. At the same time Louise and Cat Shark ran over to Ryoga, having seen the spirit's arrival.

"You really were there the whole time," Ryoga stated more than accused.

" _Of course, my King,"_ the spirit smiled. _"As I did once in the past, here too I shall remain as close to you as I can to provide any aid you wish."_

"No way," Kirche muttered amazed. "He called the Water Spirit here and she just came to him like that? He really does know her then," she titled her head curiously. "But wait, why does she call him 'my King?'"

"Well…" Katie looked between the redhead and Sir Shark. He did say before that it would get out sooner or later. Hopefully he wouldn't mind if she was the one who told them. "We don't know the full details regarding it. But according to the Water Spirit, it seems that Sir Shark is…a member of royalty."

"WHAT!?" Kirche yelled.

" _Was_ a member," Montmorency added. "Least that's what he claims. It's why he calls himself a fallen noble."

Kirche's mouth open and closed multiple times, her brain struggling to take in the sudden revelation. Next to her, Tabitha's own heart jumped in surprise hearing this. Ryoga was a member of royalty? One who lost his ties to the family? And if the words of the spirit were to go by, then he wasn't just a prince, but a king?

Then…did that mean he was just like her?

"Spirit, I want to confirm something with you," Ryoga said, ignoring Kirche's yell and the conversation behind him. He'd deal with that annoyance later.

" _Ask, my King, and I shall answer,"_ the spirit spoke.

"Tell me then, why have you raised the water level?" a narrowed brow and frown formed on the Duelist's face. "This area used to house a small town, yet now it's swallowed by your waters. The people of this land have been forced to suffer because of it, and sent those 'assailants' to attack you so it can stop. I want to know the reason behind this," he said with a tone that was strong and stern. A tone clearly depicting that he would not accept any refusal of an answer from another.

A tone fitting that of a king.

The spirit remained silent, her form shifting several times and giving off the idea that she was thinking. Eventually her face settled on a rather angry look. _"It is because I was robbed of one of my treasures."_

Ryoga's brow rose. "A treasure?"

" _Yes, my King. A long time ago, one of your kind entered my lake and stole my most important possession from the deepest part of the lake. That was about thirty months before the moon's crossing."_

"Over two years ago," Montmorency murmured.

"The timeline matches up," Ryoga connected. "So then what, you're raising the water level as a way of attacking humans? Is that what this is, vengeance?"

 _"Vengeance?"_ The Water Spirit shook her head. _"No, my King. Even before our parting, I was never one for such amnesty. Our kind does not have that purpose regardless. I am simply trying to retake my treasure, but since I cannot leave the water, the only way to do so is to raise the level of the lake. Even if it takes an eternity, the water will slowly erode the land,"_ her eyes became emotionless and her words cold. _"Even if I must sink the entire continent, I will regain what I have lost."_

Signs of the kind spirit from before were gone. In their place was the presence of an old and powerful spirit, one that was very angry.

"Could she really do that?" Katie asked. "I mean raise the water levels that high? She only drowned the town in two years after all."

"Don't underestimate a spirit," Montmorency said. "Their concept of time is different from our own."

" _You speak true human,"_ the spirit addressed Montmorency. _"For me, the whole is the same as the present. All time is the same to me. Regardless of the present the future will always come. It makes no difference as I will always exist."_

"And what, you would spend an eternity drowning a country? Just for one treasure?" Ryoga's ocean-blue eyes met the spirit's dead on. She returned it with a solemn stare of her own.

" _What else would I hold onto when I lost what was most important long ago?"_

Sorrow and pain. That was what the former Barian heard moving through the watery vocals, hidden behind the stoic wall that was put up. With it came understanding over what the spirit meant. Not just because he was the subject of her statement, even if that was part of the reason, but because he went through that same feeling many times over. The shark-toothed pendant around his neck was proof of that.

" _I hold no excuse for my actions,"_ the Water Spirit addressed. _"Nor will I hide behind one. All I have had is time, and time changes everyone, my King."_

"That doesn't mean you have to do this though!" Katie said stepping forward. "Surely there's a better way! We came to an agreement with Sir Shark's memories after all. Can't we do something similar to convince you to stop raising the water levels?"

" _Such as?"_

"Well, what if we go and get your treasure back for you?" Katie's words attracted everyone's attention. "If we did the searching for you then there would be no need to raise the water level anymore, right? You could return the lake to normal and the villagers could return home."

"She's right," Ryoga agreed, having nearly the exact same thoughts on how to solve this problem. "If she hadn't said it just now I would have myself. It would solve the issues for all parties involved, and if you did this you wouldn't have to worry about anymore 'assailants' coming after you. Right Kirche?" He looked back to the dark-skinned girl to confirm this.

"So long as she lowers the water we shouldn't have any problems," Kirche said approving. It would certainly save a lot of time and would fulfil the order from Tabitha's family's. It was a win-win.

The Water Spirit's form shifted again in thought. After a couple of seconds the water settled and she nodded. _"You have always been true to your word, my King,"_ she said, her expression and tone returning to normal. She then turned to Katie. _"And you, little human, have aided him in completing the original pact made between us. I can now believe you to be one who also keeps her promises."_

Katie's eyes lit up. "Does that mean-"

" _But, before I can give my answer there is still one part of the original pact that must be upheld. A part I myself must fulfill,"_ the spirit stared directly at Ryoga when saying this. _"My King, step forward if you please."_

A wave of emotions spiked through Ryoga's chest. He made sure to hide them from showing on his face as he stepped closer to the lake's edge and entered it, stopping when the water was just above his ankles. The Water Spirit moved herself closer to hover before him, their bodies separated by just a few inches.

"You do anything to Ryoga and I won't forgive you!" Louise shouted with a mix of jealousy and concern.

" _Should anything happen to him, I won't forgive myself,"_ the Water Spirit said before focusing solely on the purple teen in front of her. _"Are you ready, my King?"_

"As I'll ever be," came Ryoga's reply.

The Water Spirit reached her hand up until it pressed against the Barian pendant's center gem. A pulse of energy emitted from the touch and Ryoga felt as if the pendant was suddenly linked to the spirit. He watched as she, through some means, seemed to close her watery eyes in concentration and began speaking.

" _Through the passing of our bond, our souls are united. Hearts tied together, minds synced as one, emotions forever shared. Let the passage of time hold truth to our words and marry them together for all eternity, so that we may open the path to a new future."_

A blue aura began to emit from the Water Spirit, it's movements and flow being just like the substance she was made from. In contrast, a red aura emitted from the Barian pendant and flowed over Ryoga.

" _Let our souls be connected once again, and the memories of the past be reborn anew!"_

 **BA-BUMP!**

Ryoga felt a single pulse from the pendant before the two auras met and his vision turned white.

* * *

 _The sound of ocean waves crashing and seagull's cries filled the air. The sun shone above and graced the white sandy beach with a gentle warmth. The waves of the endless sea moved back and forth along the shore, slowly rising up along the ground before returning to its' large body, which was so pristine and clean that a person could almost completely see through to the bottom._

" _Remember your manners here," a voice spoke. It was a tall man with magenta-colored hair and a thin moustache, dressed in what looked to be golden regal-looking armor. His eyes, which were a light shade of orange, peered down at two much smaller individuals. "The spirit is a messenger from the sea god, and is to be shown the same amount of respect and kindness as you would give to him."_

" _Yes father," came a united reply from the two, who were revealed to be a pair of young children. One a boy and the other a girl. The boy had purple hair and blue eyes, and wore a regal outfit of blue and purple robes. The girl meanwhile had blue hair and red eyes, and was wearing a beautiful white dress with a long veil adorning her head._

 _The father smiled at his children. "While we wait, let's do a small test for the both of you," he looked at the girl. "Tell me my daughter, do you remember the lessons taught about where the sea god came from?"_

" _I do!" The girl immediately replied. "The sea god was born from the ancient dragon long ago, sent here to guard the endless oceans and watch over the lands connecting them. He is firm but understanding, strong but kind, and protects all who are under his watch."_

" _Well done Merag," the man praised, making the girl beam with delight. He then turned to face the boy. "Now what of you son? Why do we worship the god?"_

" _Because it is he who allows us safe travels along the waters," the boy spoke. "He commands all the waters of our land and the deepest depths of the ocean, and thus we pray to him every day for his blessing. A good harvest of fish, clear skies above our heads, and to be at our side whenever a threat presents itself to our kingdom. For it is our loyalty and bond with him that forges the peace we carry."_

" _And why do we come here today?" The man asked._

" _So we can forge a pact with the spirit, so that she may be our connection and voice to the sea god, and to be our aid and cherished friend throughout our lives."_

 _The man put a hand on his son's shoulder and gave a proud look. "Excellent. When the time comes for you to take the mantle of king, I will rest easy knowing it will be in capable and knowing hands."_

 _The boy's face flustered at the words as he nodded. "Yes father."_

" _Don't forget me!" Merag hugged the boy's arm and giggled. "You'll need me by your side too big brother. You can't do anything without me after all."_

 _The boy rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Of course, how could I possibly forget?" He said as he rubbed his sisters head, earning a pleased sound from her._

 _The father's heart filled with warmth at his children's interaction. Seeing them so close together like this reassured him of how strong their bond was, and that they would always be there to support each other. A strength that was needed given the hole left in their family since their birth._

"No need to think on that now," _the man quickly dispelled the thoughts away so as not to let it show on his face. It wouldn't do to worry his children after all. Suddenly he felt a presence rising from the ocean's waters and turned to look, his expression becoming stern. "It's here."_

 _The siblings stopped at their father's words. They quickly moved to his side to stand beside him. The three watched and waited, and before long the ocean waves at their feet stopped rolling and began retracting backwards. The water surface slowly rose up like a large hill before exploding outwards and swirling around in a rapid torrent. It then started to mold itself almost like clay and began to take a humanoid shape and form resembling that of a beautiful female woman with short hair that was tied in the back._

 _The spirit hovered in place above the water, slowly taking in the area around her before noticing the three on the shore. Her head tilted slightly as she almost seemed to glide across the water and approach them, the ocean waters below following. She stopped when she was but a few feet from them, her eyes transfixing themselves on the armored man._

" _It is a pleasure to see you again, King of the United Lands of the Poseidon Ocean," the spirit said bowing, her voice sounding beautifully serene._

 _A twitch of king's hand was the only sign of unease as he returned the bow. "And to you as well de- water spirit. I trust your trip up here was met without trouble?"_

" _Of course. The sea god always ensures that the water to be perfect for us to travel through," the spirit gave a smile. Her eyes then widened as she caught sight of the two children, who watched her with a mix of curiosity and nervousness. "These are…"_

" _They are," the king said as if to confirm the spirit's suspicion. He put a hand on his children's backs and gently motioned them forward. "Go on young ones. Introduce yourselves."_

 _The two looked at their father before turning to the spirit and stepping forward. The boy swallowed his nervousness and was the first to speak between them. "G-Greetings Water Spirit. I am Nasch, prince of the United Lands of the Poseidon Ocean, son of King Peleus."_

" _A-And I am Merag," his sister followed suite in introducing herself. "Princess of the United Lands of the Poseidon Ocean, daughter of King Peleus."_

 _The spirit's form shifted several times as she observed the two. "Nasch…Merag…" the spirit whispered, her eyes glistening briefly as they gained an almost unreadable expression. Her form shifted again several times before returning to normal, the mysterious expression gone and replaced with a delicate and almost motherly smile to them. "So, these are the heirs to the kingdom?"_

" _That they are," the man known as King Peleus addressed with pride._

" _I see," the spirit kneeled down to eye level with the children. "A pleasure to meet you, young prince. And to you as well, lovely princess. My name is…"_

* * *

 **BA-BUMP!**

"Gah!" Ryoga's eyes slammed shut as he fell to one knee and grasped his head, immediately alerting those watching him.

"Mrrow mrrow!" Cat Shark cried out.

"Ryoga!" Louise immediately rushed to his side with the Xyz. She kneeled down beside him worried before sending a vicious glare towards the Water Spirit. "What did you do to him!?"

" _I have returned what was lost,"_ the spirit replied softly.

Before Louise could yell more another moan from Ryoga caught her ear. "Ryoga? Are you okay? Say something!"

"Ner…"

"Huh?"

Ryoga's eyes slowly opened. "Ner…eida…"

The Water Spirit's eyes widened and her form vibrated. _"…My King?"_

It was like a switch was flicked on inside Ryoga all of a sudden. Those skips of the heart and familiar sensations from before were suddenly rushing back to the former Barian all at once. Only now it felt like they weren't being stopped by some invisible wall anymore. Instead they came crashing through like a wrecking ball on a demolition site. Countless images, words, emotions, all piling on into his brain.

"Ryoga? What is it?" Louise asked.

"I…remember…" Ryoga stood up and removed his hand. He looked up to the Water Spirit, focusing on her face. "I…remember you…"

The Water Spirit's form shifted many times in rapid succession, almost like it was feeling anxious. _"My name. Say it so I may know that you do not provide false hope,"_ her voice trembled as she spoke.

"Nereida…" Ryoga let the name escape his lips, it sounding natural to him. "Your name…is Nereida."

The watery form of the spirit pulsated and shook vibrantly. It moved on itself as the form of Rio disappeared into a blob of liquid. It then began shaping into a different form, and when finished, Ryoga recognized it as the one he saw just a moment ago in his memories. A form he knew all too well.

" _You finally remember,"_ the Water Sp- no, _Nereida_ , said. Her face shined in the moonlight with a bright smile that expressed absolute happiness and joy. _"I have missed you so much, my King,"_

"Nereida…" Katie spoke the name in awe. "Is that the Water Spirit's true name?"

"I didn't think it even had a name," Montmorency uttered, completely astonished by what she was witnessing.

"Apparently it does," Guiche commented, feeling the same as his fellow blonde.

"My oh my," Kirche put a hand to her cheek. "Darling just continues to grow more and more interesting, doesn't he Tabitha?"

Her friend gave no verbal or visible response. Instead the bluenette's sight remained fixed on Ryoga and the spirit as her mind contemplated everything she was witnessing.

"Mrrow mrrow," Cat Shark moved to bow to the spirit, its' instincts screaming to show respect to such a radiant representative of water.

The only one not liking anything about this was Louise, if her pout was anything to go by. It was made worse with the look this "Nereida" was giving Ryoga, which made the pinkette bristle. "Hey!" She yelled breaking their stare. "Don't get so close to Ryoga all of a sudden! I won't let you take him from me just because he remembers you now!"

The Duelist groaned while Nereida gave a soft giggle. _"Oh, you needn't worry about that anymore. Now that my king knows who I am, he also remembers how our relationship was."_

"R-R-R-Relationship!?" Louise stuttered, her brain racing with a million thoughts on what the spirit meant.

"It ain't like that," Ryoga reassured as he sent a minor glare to the spirit. "And you, don't make it worse dammit."

Nereida giggled. _"Forgive me, my King. I am just…so happy right now. Happier than I've been in so long,"_ her gentle smile seemed to express that perfectly. She faced the group of nobles and gave them a light bow. _"Forgive all my evasiveness earlier. As friends to my king, allow me to properly introduce myself to you all. Some of you know me as the Spirit of Lagdorian Lake. Others, the Spirit of Oaths,"_ she glanced at Ryoga. _"To my king however, I was once known as Nereida, guardian of the United Lands of the Poseidon Ocean, close friend of the royal family, and emissary to the Sea God, Abyss."_

"A-A sea god emissary!?" Guiche yelled, his shock being shared by everyone.

"I give up," Montmorency threw her hands up in the air. "I give up! I just…I can't!"

"Is this true Ryoga?" Louise asked.

"It is," the Duelist confirmed. The memories of his past and his connection to the spirit were coming back to him clear as day. He was slowly remembering it all. He was remembering _her_.

Nereida, the voice and emissary of Abyss, the Sea God. Before knowing Ryoga she served the Legendary Number as a spirit of the Poseidon Oceans, traveling through the seas by his command to pass messages to other spirits or to the royal family, Ryoga's family, of the United Lands. According to his and Rio's father from that life, King Peleus, she'd been around since before either of them were born, with the king and her knowing each other quite well. They worked alongside each other to help further strengthen the bonds of the kingdom with the sea, as well as to fend off any threat that may approach.

Ryoga and Rio didn't officially meet her until they were eight years old. While she did help to raise them when they were babies, as they got older and became more aware of the world around them, she in turn started distancing herself from them. They'd see her many times around the palace, but anytime they tried to approach or even enter the room she was in she would immediately disappear without a word. It wasn't until they turned eight that their father explained the spirit didn't wish to directly interfere with their lives or choices until the age where they would be ready to form a pact with her. She wanted to observe their natural growth and state of mind, and judge them on the kind of people they would become to determine if they would be worthy of forming a pact with.

To say she was pleased with the results would be cutting it mildly. When it came time for the pact to be formed she was fully aware of the two standing before her. She knew of their likes and dislikes, their talents and hobbies, and of the unbreakable bond they shared and their united dreams for the kingdom. There was no hesitation in her desire to form a pact with them, and after it was done she became an integral part of their lives, acting as an advisor, mentor, friend, and after their father died protecting Durbe's homeland, a mother figure to the siblings that they'd been missing since their birth.

Which made Ryoga all the more disturbed at having forgotten her.

" _But how?"_ The ocean-eyed teen struggled to understand. _"How could I have forgotten her? She's been such an important part of mine and Rio's first life. How could something like that be forgotten? No, more importantly, how did I not remember her when Durbe restored my memories?"_

There's no way Durbe would have missed something like this. He had met Nereida several times when he visited the kingdom and saw her the same way the siblings did. It was impossible for him to have forgotten her. Yet when he restored Ryoga's memories of being a Barian he made no mention of the spirit, gave no hint as to Nereida's existence. Either he hid it away for some reason, which seemed implausible given how desperate he was to return Ryoga's memories, or…

" _Or he didn't remember either…"_ Ryoga frowned. If Durbe had also forgotten the spirit like he did, then chances were Rio was in the same boat and also had no memory of their mother figure. The implications of such a thing were…unpleasant. If all of them had forgotten such important details, then what else could have been lost? More importantly, why was their memory not fully restored like it was supposed to be?

" _I can sense your thoughts, my King,"_ Nereida's voice drew Ryoga's attention on her. _"You wonder how you could have forgotten about me given our relationship."_

"Do you know something?" Ryoga inquired with a furrowed brow.

" _I cannot say with certainty,"_ Nereida frowned. _"When I searched through your memories, I sensed that some of them are…muddled. Clouded in a void that you were not even aware was there. You have not truly forgotten or lost them, but something has happened to them. Something to make it feel as if they were never there to begin with, and has affected other memories you do possess because of it. Which ones I cannot say, for despite my search the muddled memories are too vast for me to give an accurate guess on, but it can be assumed that due to this influence, some of the things you may remember may be incomplete, or not as you remember at all."_

Ryoga froze and felt a cold sensation swelling in his chest. Affected other memories? Too vast? Were there that many memories lost to him? Things he'd forgotten and not even realized?

If his current memories were being affected by these ones he didn't even know of, then it was no different than all the other times he'd been reincarnated. Only this time it was far worse because he _did_ remember, but couldn't know if what he remembered was entirely accurate or not. For all he knew maybe he, Rio, and Durbe did remember Nereida, and maybe it was just these muddled ones in his head that made him think otherwise.

That idea of something so absurd was…it was…

"You're saying Sir Shark has forgotten more than you?" Katie asked worried.

Nereida looked down saddened. _"I'm afraid so."_

"How tragic," Guiche said as he crossed his arms. "To think Ryoga lost more memories then just his bond with the spirit."

"Sounds like a case of amnesia," Montmorency concluded. "And a rather bad one at that."

"Ryoga!" Louise yelled catching everyone's notice. She and Cat Shark move to grab Ryoga as he lost his balance and nearly feel over. The fear she saw in his face was enough to make her fearful. "R-Ryoga?"

"I…that can't be…" Ryoga mumbled, his voice very quiet and shaky. "I couldn't have…Yuma…Astral…Kaito…"

He was terrified. Absolutely fucking terrified. He felt as weak and helpless as he did when he started questioning his humanity in Heartland. If the memories he had were being affected by these muddled ones, then what did that mean about the memories of his friends?

Did he forget anything about them? What if something happened in a different way then he thought they did? What if there was something important he was supposed to remember that he didn't? What about his people? What if something happened to the residents of the Barian World?

He couldn't lose them again! He couldn't lose another person again! He couldn't!

" _Breathe Nasch,"_ Nereida's hand of water gently touched Ryoga's chest. She ignored the glare sent by Louise and instead began concentrating. Soon a feeling of calm and tranquility entered his body. The panic slowly began to lessen as his breathing returned to normal and his thoughts cleared themselves. _"Breathe…the memories you fear about have not been lost. They are there, untouched. Your bonds with your friends, your people, remain unmuddled."_

"H-How can you be sure?" Ryoga stammered.

Nereida pulled her hand away and put it over her chest where her glowing core was. _"I swear under the oath to you, King of the United Lands of the Poseidon Ocean, that the memories lost do not involve your friends from Heartland or the people of your kingdom."_

Hearing those words and the way they were spoken…Ryoga found himself believing her. He didn't know why- no wait, he did. The pact they formed long ago allowed more than just her to sense his thoughts and feelings, but to share hers to him. A way to communicate without a need of words, similar to the bond he had with Rio or his cards. Even though he'd been reincarnated multiple times, it seemed that somehow their bond surpassed all these millennia and crossing of other worlds and remained tied to their souls. He could feel it, sense it just like in his first life, and through it could tell that she was speaking the truth.

Meaning the memories of Yuma, Astral, Kaito, and the rest…they were okay. They were safe.

" _They're safe…"_ Ryoga gave a quiet chuckle of relief. It was another minute before he pulled himself out of Louise's and Cat Shark's grasp and stood back on his feet, his shaking state from before nowhere to be seen as he thanked them both.

"Darling…" Kirche frowned. If anyone knew better they would have sworn she sounded concerned. If they looked in her mind they would be shocked to see that she actually was, which she made somewhat known when she addressed Nereida. "Hey, can darling get them back? His memories?"

" _I do not know,"_ the spirit shook her head. _"I could restore his memories of me because of the time we spent together and using my own memories through the pact we made. But these other memories are ones he created on his own, and thus unknown to me."_

"But there's still a chance to reclaim them?" Ryoga asked, his voice sounding normal again.

" _I believe so, my King. Your mind is already fixing the damage done now that you are aware of this happening. Given time you the memories will most likely return on their own, but in what time that would be is unknown even to me."_

Ryoga went silent for a bit before giving a single nod. "Alright. I can deal with that."

"Are you sure Sir Shark?" Katie said worried.

"Yeah," Ryoga paused. "Well, no. I mean…" he sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "I…honestly I don't know. I've had… _experiences_ in the past with lost memories, and every time it's never ended well. To suddenly be told it's happening again isn't something I can be 'okay' with. But it hasn't stopped me before and it won't stop me now, and if these memories can return on their own, then I just need be patient and wait it out," he paused again, this time his eyes gaining a warm look. "Besides…as long as _those_ memories are okay…then everything else is fine."

"Mrrow mrrow," Cat Shark nuzzled its' master's leg gently. He returned the gesture with a scratch of the spirit's ears.

"I'll help too!" Louise declared loudly as she moved closer to Ryoga's side and hugged his arm tightly. "Don't worry Ryoga, I'll do everything I can to get your memories back. If the spirit can do it by touching you, then maybe I can do it too," she said happily. She didn't notice the Duelist blanch at her words, though she did hear the sound of Kirche's laughter in the background and chose to ignore it. "I'll kiss and hug you every day to fill you with my love. Through it you'll gain the strength to help you remember, and then when you do, you can pay me back by-"

"I don't need the image thank you!" Ryoga shot out of Louise's hold frantically. He had no desire to learn where the rest of that statement was leading towards.

"D-Don't worry Sir Shark," Katie said, trying not to show how taken aback she was by the pinkette's…determination. "While not to Miss Louise's extreme, I'll do my best to support you anyway I can as well. We all will."

"Speak for yourself," Montmorency grumbled.

"Hey!" Louise yelled at Katie. "Don't even think of it you evil succubus! If anyone is going to help Ryoga it'll be me! You can go wander off elsewhere!"

"Now Louise, don't be so greedy," Kirche's ruby lips curled upwards in a smirk. "I'm sure we can _all_ help him if we try."

"You go jump off a bridge!"

The girls talk quickly broke into an argument. Well, more like Louise and Kirche were arguing while Katie tried and failed to broker a peace between them. The scene caused Nereida to let out a playful laugh. _"Hahaha. Truly, you have made such fascinating friends, my King."_

"Sometimes I wish I didn't," Ryoga deadpanned. Despite this there was a light smile on his own face. Leave it to them to break such a tense atmosphere, just like Yuma always did with that shining personality of his. It certainly helped when needed most. "Still…there's one thing I don't understand," the smile was put away and replaced with a look of confusion swimming in his eyes. "Nereida…how can you be here? In this... _place_ , I mean. Why aren't you-"

" _I know what you wish to ask,"_ Nereida interrupted. _"And I know it to be one of many questions you desire the answer too. But for the sake of your privacy and health, perhaps it would be best to not ask them right now. With everything that has happened today I can sense you are overwhelmed and under a great deal of stress, in no small part because of my exposing you. I do not wish to see you pushed further because of it, and regardless if you were willing to do so, can you say you wish to reveal more of who you are to those who follow you, this time by your own accord?"_

Ryoga frowned and glanced back to the others, who were still semi-distracted by Louise's shouting. Nereida had a point, frustrating as it was to hear. The secrets he'd been so carefully hiding till this point were now in the open, which he knew would lead to an interrogation in the coming days. Heck, he was still waiting for Kirche to approach him on the subject of Duel Monsters. If they learned even more than they had already it would just further add onto the pile of questions and put more pressure on his back.

He didn't need that right now, especially after the sudden breakdown he experienced not long ago. For all he knew he could end up having another one if he didn't like what he heard, and that wouldn't serve well for anyone.

" _I promise, my King, that you will learn the answers you seek soon enough,"_ Nereida continued. _"Just be patient for now. Allow your mind to rest and consider all you have learned."_

"As if I haven't been doing that enough," the purple teen sighed. He ran a hand through his hair and took a moment to think before speaking. "Fine, I'll hold off for now. But just so we're clear, you _will_ be telling me everything I want to know when the time comes."

" _Of course."_

"Alright, then back to the previous topic from before. Will you lower then lake in return for letting us search for this treasure of yours?" The former king asked. His question served to grab the other's attention and get them back on track.

" _You would not simply order me to lower the lake?"_ Nereida wondered.

"Memory restored or not, I won't make it a point to just order people around like they're my servants. Kami knows I see enough of that in this place," Ryoga grumbled the later part quietly.

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark agreed.

Nereida smiled. _"You really have not changed at all,"_ she moved back and gave a polite bow. _"Very well. I know I can always trust you with keeping your word. And these other humans have shown their loyalty to you and proven that they too can be trusted. Especially you, little human who I formed the previous pact with,"_ Katie hearing this turned a bit red. _"Therefore, I shall entrust this new pact upon all of you. Search for my treasure in my stead, and I will return the water level of the lake to normal."_

"You still haven't told us what kind of treasure it is," Guiche noted.

" _The treasure is called the Ring of Andvari. It has been with me all this time until now."_

"Ring of Andvari?" Montmorency muttered. "I've heard of that before. It's a legendary magic item of the water system. It is said to give false life to the deceased."

"It raises the dead?" Ryoga questioned in disbelief.

 _"That is not incorrect, but not accurate either,"_ Nereida declared. _"Death is a concept that I do not understand properly, as most spirits like myself are immortal. Therefore, I cannot understand your description. The Ring of Andvari however, does not simply bring false life. It is the embodiment of the ancient 'Strength of the Water', and is more than just a magical item."_

"So it can do more than bring people back?" Katie wondered.

" _Possibly. I myself have never used its' power, as I have no need to. But the ring is dangerous in the hands of humans, be aware of that."_

"Then who stole such a thing?" Kirche asked with a frown.

 _"As I said before, one of your kind, with several other humans, came into my dwelling using wind magic. They did not disturb me in my slumber, but I awoke when I no longer sensed the presence of the ring in the lake."_

"So you don't know their names?"

" _I know one,"_ Nereida's eyes lit with fury. _"I heard it when they were retreating from my rage. A man by the name of Cromwell."_

"Cromwell…" Ryoga repeated the name. "Haven't heard that name before," he looked back to see if any of the others did. The shake of their heads told the negativity of that hope.

" _Be wary, my King,"_ Nereida warned. _"Those who are revived have their freedom stolen. They must obey the owner of the ring. If you were to fall under its' power, the results would be disastrous."_

"It is a truly evil ring, animating the dead is a disgusting power." Kirche spat in a low voice.

"On that we both agree," Ryoga said and turned back to the Water Spirit. "Understood. We'll find this ring and bring it back."

" _I know you will,"_ Nereida's worry faded to warmth. _"Take as long as you need to retrieve the ring. Time is nothing to one such as I, and I do not mind waiting for your return since I know you will fulfill our pact."_

"And we'll be there to help him all the way," Katie said encouragingly.

"Don't lump me in with the rest of you," Montmorency mumbled. "So are we done now? We got the tear and the lake will soon return to normal. I'd like to leave and just make this stupid antidote before I lose my mind any further."

"Awww, it wasn't that bad," Kirche drawled out. "I personally found this whole experience to be rather enlightening. Especially with discovering darling's heritage," she licked her lips hungrily as she stared at Ryoga's back. The purple teen didn't even need to turn around to feel the stare, with the shiver down his spine being more than enough to convey the message.

"I suppose despite the bumps we encountered this trip did have its' merits," Guiche said.

"Yeah, and we even did more than expected and got Sir Shark's memories back," Katie's eyes almost seemed to light up from joy. "I wonder if this is how my brother feels on his own trips. It's actually kind of fun."

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark cheered agreeing.

Montmorency loudly groaned. She wondered if she could still report herself to Osmond by this point.

" _My King, one last thing before you leave,"_ Nereida spoke up. _"I wish to give you something that may aid you on your journey."_

Ryoga raised a brow. "What would that be?"

The Water Spirit "closed" her eyes again as the orb of light in her chest glowed. It pulsated briefly before a piece of water emerged from the center of it and out of the aquatic body. It floated towards Ryoga and began shaping itself, before losing the watery substance and form and taking on a different texture and material. One that Ryoga was surprised by when he grabbed it.

"This is…"

"A Duel Monsters card?" Louise finished just as surprised. In Ryoga's hand was indeed a Duel Monsters card, though what kind she couldn't tell from the way he was holding it.

"Tabitha, isn't that…" Kirche whispered to the bluenette, who nodded back with her eyes ever so slightly narrowed.

" _When I peered through your memories I saw how the powers of our home have evolved,"_ Nereida explained. _"To think it has grown to the point where it is used for entertaining people and bringing joy rather than the senseless violence of long ago. It is…enlightening to see such peace,"_ a soft smile formed on her lips. _"But I know this place does not have that luxury, and that there are those who would abuse such power if discovered. Thus, I have separated a part of my soul and given it to you, my King, in this form. That way I can always be with you, even trapped in this lake as I am. Should you ever require my aid, simply use it to call upon me, and I shall be there to protect you from all harm. Just as I did once before."_

"Nereida…" Ryoga looked at the card again. A familiar emotion filled his heart and made his eyes brighten. He pulled out his deck and slid the card in. A faint pulse echoed from the other cards, telling how accepting and pleased they were with the new addition. "Thank you. I promise I'll take care of it," he said with a soft tone.

"Mrrow mrrow," Cat Shark gave its' own nod of approval.

" _Anything for you, my most kind and gentle, King Nasch,"_ Nereida gave a final smile before her body began disappearing into the lake.

"Please wait," Tabitha stopped the spirit by suddenly calling out. Everyone was surprised by this considering it was the first time she'd spoken after their little skirmish. "Water Spirit, I wish to ask you something."

Nereida pulled herself back up. _"What is your question?"_

"We humans have always called you the Spirit of Oaths. I would like to know the reason."

Nereida tilted her head curiously. _"My existence and yours are dissimilar, little human, and thus in itself is the reason for this name. I do not have a fixed shape, yet I will never change. For uncountable generations I have always been here with the water, listening, watching, and observing the interactions and promises made between you humans."_

"Because you are eternally unchanging, therefore you will forever carry our hopes," Tabitha nodded and then shut her eyes. Kirche gently put a hand on her shoulder and did the same.

"What are they doing?" Ryoga asked.

" _They are making a promise to me. In doing so, I shall keep it forever preserved in my existence,"_ Nereida answered.

"Ow!" Guiche winced as Montmorency poked his ribs. "What?"

"Quickly, make an oath too," the female blonde ordered.

"What oath?"

The glare received from Montmorency made Guiche fearful. "What did you think I made the love potion for anyways?"

The playboy blinked twice before realization hit him. "Oh. In that case, ah…I swear that I will consider Montmorency above all others from this point forward," he said with conviction. He received another poke. "Ow! H-Hey, really! I swear!"

"I don't want to be above others," Montmorency growled. "I want to be the only. Swear you love only me!"

Guiche hung his head and said in a tone that most people would find hard to believe. "I swear…"

"I should make one too then," Katie whispered. Her eyes landed on Ryoga causing a light blush to dust her cheeks, the oath becoming clear in her head as she closed her eyes and made it.

"You too! Swear to me," Louise pulled Ryoga's sleeve, her eyes gazing at him.

Ryoga resisted rolling his eyes but thought it over. Considering the girls were acting like they were praying, he probably didn't have to verbally say the oath out loud like Guiche did, so he could just pretend to make one and satisfy Louise. Then again, Nereida might sense him not actually doing so. While she wouldn't be mad he would still feel bad for disrespecting her in such a way.

At the thought of the spirit an oath formed itself in the former Barian's head, one almost fitting the circumstances. Following the customs of his former home Ryoga bowed twice then clapped his hands twice, holding them as he closed his eyes.

" _I promise from this point onward, that no matter the circumstances or trials I encounter, or the punishment I will eventually face for my sins, that I will forever hold onto the bonds I've made in my past, and the ones I make here now, and never forget them again._

Ryoga bowed once again, not seeing Nereida's lips curl upwards.

* * *

The return to the school was mostly peaceful, with everyone staying quiet save for the occasional question regarding what they witnessed and learned. When directed at Ryoga he either didn't answer or did so in a way that didn't tell much. The only real annoyance on the trip was Kirche bothering the boy about his royal heritage and upping her flirtation efforts by ten because of it, which in turn made Louise fight back.

When they finally arrived back the Kirche and Tabitha left to go write a letter to Tabitha's family and inform them of their task being completed. Meanwhile the others headed back to Montmorency's room, where she began immediate work on the antidote. The speed in which she worked made it clear she wanted this whole nightmare to be over with, and resulted in her finishing just as the twin moons took to the sky.

"Done!" Montmorency declared. She flopped herself down on a chair and began wiping the sweat from her forehead. "Finally, that really was difficult!"

"At least it's finished," Ryoga said glancing over to the small pot on the table. Inside was the mixture of the antidote. A whiff of the concoction caused the former king to flinch and lean back. "Though it certainly doesn't get points for smell."

"Mrrow mrrow," Cat Shark grumbled with a nod, pushing itself to the far corner of the room and covering its' nose with its' fins.

"At least it looks…presentable?" Katie tried to defend, even if the twitching on her face was any indication otherwise. "Miss Montmorency, this is safe to drink…right?"

"It's fine," Montmorency said from her spot. "Just have Louise drink it and she'll be back to normal."

Ryoga didn't need to be told twice. He grabbed the pot by the handle and moved over to Louise, who was sitting at the far end of the table. She took one look at the pot before grimacing at the smell and turning away.

"No way!" She yelled like a child.

"We are not playing this game Louise. Drink it," Ryoga ordered.

Louise pouted. "If I drink this, will you kiss me?"

Ryoga mentally counted to three. Just a little more and it would be over. Just a little more and everything would go right back to normal. As normal for a being of chaos like him anyways. "Sure, whatever," he said with as kind a tone as possible.

Louise beamed at the promise and took the pot. Her beaming faded into disgust at the sight of the contents. Nevertheless, she closed her eyes resolutely and tilted the pot to her lips as she began drinking it all.

"Shouldn't you be running now?" Montmorency said to Ryoga suddenly.

"Excuse me?"

"You don't know? The memories of the time when Louise was madly in love with you after drinking the love potion don't disappear. She remembers everything. Everything she did and was done to her."

Silence took the room.

"Buwah!" Louise slammed the pot down and licked her lips from finishing the potion. She hiccupped once, and immediately upon doing so her facial expression slowly began changing. Her happy attitude disappeared as her eyes narrowed in confusion, then realization, then widening as they honed in on Ryoga, who stared back just as wide-eyed. Her cheeks swiftly became bright red as she began trembling and her hair shadowed her face. "Y-You…"

" _Damn you Montmorency!"_ Ryoga cursed in his head. There would be hell to pay for this later dammit! Right now he focused on bracing himself for whatever pink hurricane of hell was about to strike down on him. "Louise…"

"You…you…" Louise stuttered as the trembling grew worse. She stood from her seat making everybody tense.

And then ran right out of the room.

"What the…" Ryoga's tenseness fell into confusion. The others were no better as they shared the same look. He then realized what happened and cursed again. "Dammit! Louise, wait!"

The former king raced out of the room after the Louise with Cat Shark quickly following behind. The remaining nobles stared at the door, wondering what just happened.

* * *

"Louise!" Ryoga called to the pink-haired noble.

She didn't respond. She didn't even look back. She just kept looking forward and continued to run as fast as she could.

Ryoga gave an annoyed grunt as he chased his "master" down the dorm halls. She was far ahead of him, rounding another corner that he didn't get to for another three seconds. Upon finally turning it he could already see she was a third of the way down the new hall, making him curse and put more energy into his legs to try and keep pace. Coming off the love potion must have given Louise some kind of adrenaline boost or something because she was currently moving at lightning speed.

"Louise, stop!"

No response again. Ryoga didn't know if she heard or if she was just ignoring him. Probably the latter. But why was she acting like this in the first place? Was she just embarrassed by everything that happened? Knowing her it made the most sense. The only issue of him chalking it up to that was that her normal reaction to embarrassment is to lash out at somebody for it, namely him.

This didn't feel like that at all. Something was wrong. Ryoga didn't know what but he could just feel it in the way Louise moved, and that concerned him.

"Dammit Louise! Just stop and talk to me!"

Louise glanced back for a moment, her expression unreadable. She then looked back ahead and rounded another corner, this one being familiar as she caught sight of the entrance to her room just ahead. Her feet seemed to almost double in speed as she dashed for the door. Not thinking twice she slammed it open and entered before immediately turning around and closing it shut.

Or she would have had a Duel Disk and foot not shoved themselves in the path and taken the hit.

"Fuck!" Ryoga cursed at the spike of pain that entered his body. He didn't pull back though, knowing what would happen if he did. Instead he used the pain to fuel himself and slam the door open with his weight, knocking Louise back and allowing he and Cat Shark to tumble in and close the door behind them.

A thick silence filled the room, broken only from the heavy panting of both humans. Ryoga's blue orbs bore into Louise, but her eyes remained hidden by the shadow of her hair, her face completely unreadable.

"Get out…"

It was the first thing Ryoga heard from the pinkette. It was also very low and cold sounding, and held a dangerous vibe to it.

"Not until you tell me what's wrong," Ryoga said sternly.

"Get out…" Louise repeated louder, her hands clenching tightly.

"Not until you talk! Dammit Louise if this about the stuff you did it's nothing to be angry abo-"

"YOU LIED TO ME!"

Ryoga was nearly thrown back by the shout. Louise finally brought her head up to show her eyes building up with tears and filled with a mix of fury, embarrassment, and betrayal.

"What are you-"

"Don't play stupid!" Louise shouted. "I-I remember everything! Everything I did, everything I said!" Her cheeks filled red at the memories but did nothing to dull the anger present. "I c-can't believe I allowed myself to do all those things to y-you! It's my lifelong shame!"

Ryoga frowned. "That's no reason to-"

"But I still remember it all! Everything I saw and heard! Including the time at Lagdorian Lake!"

Ryoga's words became lost as revelation struck him cold in the chest. She remembered everything under the potion's effects. _Everything._

"You lied to me…" Louise muttered shakily. "You lied to me about everything. You said you came from across the desert. From a place called Heartland. That you weren't a noble."

"Louise, listen-" Ryoga tried to reach a hand out to her only to have it smacked aside fiercely.

"It was all a lie!" Louise yelled with an escalating fury. "Everything you said to me! You didn't come from some place called Heartland! You came from a kingdom on the ocean! You said you didn't have magic there, but you knew the Water Spirit! You're not even a commoner or noble! You're a member of royalty, a king!" Her eyes widened and then narrowed. "That's why…isn't it? That's why you speak back to the princess. Why you don't treat her with respect or address her like one should. Because you're a king and she's a princess."

"Louise, that's not-"

"Do you think yourself above her? That she isn't worth dirt in your eyes!? That she's a horrible leader!? Is that what you see her as!? What you see me as!?"

"It isn't like that!" Ryoga shouted, now feeling his own temper rise. This was not supposed to go like this dammit! This was becoming Montmorency's reaction all over again, only worse because of who it was coming from. "Louise listen, you're still recovering from the love potion. You might be suffering some side effects right now. Just take a moment to calm down and-"

"I'm thinking perfectly fine! You're the one who refuses to tell the truth!"

"I'm not! Just listen to me for a sec-

"YOUR NAME ISN'T EVEN RYOGA!"

The shout caused a tense silence between the two. Cat Shark's ears dropped on its' head. It gave a quiet sound of worry as it looked between the two humans. Its' master looked guilty and ashamed while Louise looked ready to break down in tears.

"Even your name was a lie…" Louise's voice came out bitter. "The spirit kept calling you Nasch. That's your real name, isn't it? Not Ryoga, not Shark…it's Nasch," her eyes clenched shut. "You lied to me about your own name…"

Ryoga's mouth stayed closed. Whether it was due to not have anything to say or refusing to say it was unknown, even to him.

"Was it a game to you?" Louise stepped back hugging her arms. "Was it amusing to you? To watch me believe your words? To think you were my friend? Were you laughing the whole time at how gullible I was? How _stupid_ the Zero could be?"

"I never thought that!" Ryoga yelled back.

"Would you have even told me!? Would you have just kept me in the dark the whole time!? Kept lying to me!? Would you!?"

"I wouldn't have-" The Duelist stopped himself and looked away.

He…he couldn't answer that. In truth, he lacked an answer to that question. How could he possibly answer it even? Like he told the others at the lake, it wasn't like he enjoyed or wanted to hide the truth. But this world, these people, couldn't begin to grasp the truth about who he was and where he came from.

A part of him wanted to tell them, certainly, but what could he say? That this was the fifth time he was reincarnated? That he was responsible for the death of millions? That's not anything a sane person could tell someone and have them believe. In the end, he had no answer to give because he didn't know what the right thing to say was.

Louise took his silence differently. She shook her head while her body trembled. "You don't even have an answer…I can't believe it. You…you never trusted me to begin with."

"Don't put words in my mouth!" Ryoga snapped.

"You do that enough yourself!" Louise snapped back, the restraints of her voice now completely tossed aside. "All this time you were manipulating my trust! Making me believe whatever you said! Why should I believe anything now!?"

"I had my reasons for hiding who I was!"

"What reasons!? No more lies, I want the truth! What reasons do you have for hiding any of this, for lying to everyone!? To me!? JUST WHO ARE YOU KAMISHIRO RYOGA!?"

Blue orbs challenged pink ones. Their gazes refused to falter, to break for even a second.

Just then window of the room burst open seemingly of its' own accord. Drawing the attention of Ryoga and Louise they turned to see a cloaked figure suddenly hover into view. The figure wasted no time in moving through the opening and landing in the room silently, causing the conflict between Ryoga and Louise to temporarily evaporate as they became on high alert from the presence.

"Who are you!?" Ryoga demanded as his hand reached for Derflinger. Louise did similar with her wand.

"I could hear the shouting from ground level. It's as rowdy as ever it seems," a gentle voice spoke from beneath the hood of the figure.

A familiar voice that made Ryoga and Louise freeze and lose their anger.

"P-Princess?" Louise muttered.

The figure pulled down the hood on their head to reveal Her Majesty, Princess Henrietta, who gave the two a warm smile.

"It's been a while. Louise. Ryoga."

* * *

On a narrow street lit only by the lanterns nearby was a bar. On the signboard, which resembled a keg of wine, the name "Golden Wine Barrel Bar" was written. Yet nothing about the place resembled its name, as the shop was a decaying and dilapidated mess more akin to that of an abandoned house.

Outside the entrance of the bar was piles of ruined chairs seen clustered together next to the door. The reasoning for this was that inside the bar most of the patrons consisted of gangsters and mercenaries. Those that were drunk would often fight over the smallest of things like staring incidents or minor squabbles. When this happened they usually fought with their weapons, which made it common to see people dead or seriously injured inside the bar.

After a while of feeling helpless from seeing all the bodies the shopkeeper put up a notice inside his bar that read "Please use the chairs when you fight in here." It was a simple wish so as to try and cut down the casualties and mess left behind from the corpses. Thankfully the patrons had some respect for the man and decided to follow along, and from that point used their chairs instead of their weapons when fighting each other. It didn't stop the senseless violence or injuries, but at least nobody was killed anymore, and any chairs that were destroyed during fights got piled next to the door.

Today the "Golden Wine Barrel Bar" was filled to the brim with patrons just as it always was. But today was also rather unique, as there was no internal fighting or arguments going on, and instead a wave of chatter and gossip filled the bar.

"The king of Albion is finished!"

"Don't that means that they're gonna to start a republic soon?"

"If so, let us offer a toast to the new republic!"

Such was the chatter that filled the air. The reasoning was that most of the patrons were mercenaries returning from Albion, where an internal strife was taking place. These men offering toasts to themselves were formerly hired by the royalist to fight alongside them. However, after being faced with the imminent defeat of their clients, these men all decided to retreat back to the mainland. To a noble this may be seen as dishonorable, but to any mercenary the one thing they valued above belief or honor was their life.

And when that life is threatened by the idiocy of such nobles, there was no need to feel obliged to fight to the death for them.

As the men continued their drinks and self-celebrations, the bar's door opened and a rather tall cloaked figure stepped through. The hood covered most of the figure's face except for the lower part, which appeared to be female in appearance. A rather beautiful female at that.

Such was a rare site of an attractive lady to come to such a place alone, which was noted by all eyes in the bar as they immediately locked onto her. The lady was unfazed by all the stares and simply sat at a table in the corner of the bar.

"Some food and wine please," the lady ordered, her voice sounding quite elegant and alluring.

The shopkeeper did as instructed and grabbed some freshly baked bread and a bottle of wine. After returning with the meal the woman promptly paid the shopkeeper with a bag so large it made the old man's eyes threaten to pop out of his head.

"That's…that's a lot of money. Is it really alright?" The man asked.

"That includes lodging," the woman replied. "Do you have any empty rooms?"

The shopkeeper nodded his head and left the table with the bag. This didn't go unnoticed by the other patrons, who were already whispering about the scene. A woman who was both beautiful and rich? That was a once in a lifetime combination to stumble upon, let alone an impossibility in this particular bar.

Several of the male patrons looked at each other and nodded. They got up in a group and approached the woman's table. She took note of their presence but didn't seem threatened in the slightest even as they circled her.

"Excuse me miss, it's dangerous for you to be here alone."

"That's right! There are lots of dangerous characters around. Don't worry though, we'll be here to protect you."

The woman didn't reply and simply went on eating. One of the men behind her got a vile smile and lifted up the lady's hood. Whistles and catcalls immediately broke out once the hood was removed.

If just seeing the lower half of her face was a turn-on, then viewing the whole piece was like staring at a goddess for these men.

"She's really top notch!"

"Look at her skin! It's as white as ivory!"

More compliments and calls poured in as another patron attempted to lift up the woman's chin with his arm. His hand was promptly pushed away by the woman, who gave a faint smile. Another male patron immediately stood up and took out his dagger before placing it on woman's face. She simply raised a brow at the act.

"Aren't chairs supposed to be used instead of weapons at this joint?" The woman asked.

"This is only to frighten you," the man with the knife said. "Chairs can't intimidate anybody right? Don't act so innocent anymore, aren't you here to look for company? We'll keep you company then."

The men around chuckled vilely, yet even with their intents known and a dagger pointed on her face, the woman showed no fear. Instead she closed her eyes and moved her hands under the table, her lips breaking into a wicked smile.

"Stalagnation - Stone Knight."

In an instant, a light broke out from beneath the table. It spread outwards at a rapid pace nearly blinding the patrons watching. This included the man with the dagger, who stumbled back to cover his eyes. Because of this he had no time to react as something swift and sharp swung at his hand. Shattered metal flew into the air as the man tumbled over in shock, seeing the dagger he was holding to be completely destroyed.

The light began settling down, and once it did everybody could see a new figure standing behind the woman. It was no patron though, nor even human. It looked to be a rust-colored stone golem that towered even the largest man in the bar. The golem looked very different from normal ones though, as its' entire body appeared to have been finely crafted and shaped to resemble old knights' armor, but with a far more jagged look to it along the shoulder plates, knees, and elbows. Carved on the center of the chestplate was a symbol that looked like a pair of swords and a shield shattering from a fist slamming down on them.

The only pieces that didn't resemble anything knightly were the arms. The right arm ended in an octagonal-looking shield nearly as large as the golem. It that extended down near the bottom and had a large spiraling spike on the top and bottom segments. The crest seen on the golem's chestplate could also be seen in the center of the shield. The left arm meanwhile ended in a set of very long and jagged-looking blades, each looking to be capable of rendering flesh with ease.

The golem lifted its' head, which was single-spiked helm with wing-like features on the side, and glared at the men with a single glowing red orb for an eye. The sight immediately made them back away in fear.

"S-She's…she's a noble!"

The woman chuckled and stood up. "Even though I'm a magician, I'm not a noble," she said nonchalantly. "Most of you are mercenaries, right?"

The men looked surprised. Not a noble? If that were true then lives would not be endangered. If they had done that to a noble they would've been killed without any qualms. This knowledge didn't help ease them through due to the presence of the monster behind her.

"We are…" One of the veterans of the group spoke. "Who are you?"

"It doesn't matter," the woman waved off. "In short, I'm here to hire all of you."

"All of us?"

The mercenaries stared at the woman with puzzled looks on their faces.

"What's with the expression? Is it really that weird for me to employ mercenaries?" The woman questioned in a mocking tone.

"No. That's not what I meant," the veteran said. "But…if you intend to hire us, you must have gold, don't you?"

The woman threw a large bag onto the table. The veteran stepped forward and went to inspect, his eyes widening at the contents inside. After checking to be sure they were real he stepped back.

"T-This…isn't this écu gold?"

"All of you were formerly employed by the Albion royalists. Am I right?" The woman replied with a question of her own.

"That was until last month," one of the other mercenaries said.

"Yeah, but the soon to be defeated royalists aren't our employers anymore," another spoke with glee.

"Their fault for being idiots!"

Laughter broke among the men. This made the woman's lips curl upwards.

"Then why not work for me?" The question cut the laughter. The woman jumped onto the table and stood straight to put herself in view of everybody. "If you're previous employment failed miserably, then join mine! I'll fulfill all your monetary desires! Power, wealth, pleasure! All will be yours! However, do not think me to be like those soon-to-be defeated royalists! If any one of you dares to run away from battle, I'll kill you myself!"

The coldness of her threat combined with the golem's defensive motion behind her was plenty evidence of how truthful she was being. Yet the way she portrayed herself combined with the offer she promised got the mercenaries attention, with many wicked looks starting to appear on their faces.

"And just who are you?" The veteran from before asked.

The woman smirked and lifted her left arm from beneath the cloak. She raised it high into the air, showing upon it a strange looking gauntlet. Its' color was a neon green with a gray underside, giving it an unnatural and vile look. The base of the gauntlet was circular with a bunch of runes and curved designs etched around it, while in the center was a large black orb. Attached to the side of the gauntlet facing away from the woman looked to be a sharp blade that resembled a feather. The blade curved down all the way to her elbow and had what looked to be five segmented plates along it.

And lying in the center plate with a glowing purple aura, was a Duel Monsters card.

"You may call me Fouquet, and from this moment on, you serve the Reconquista!"

* * *

 **To take a quote from a former B-List now turned amazing villain.**

 **"The world's changing, it's time we change too." (Adrian Tombs, Spiderman: Homecoming (2017))**

 **And so with this, the Love Potion Arc is done...and the Albion Arc begins. Hope you guys hold onto your pants, because it's time for the world to start changing.**

 **And yes...the spirit isn't Merag or Iris...it's an original character of mine. *does the prostrating in a dogeza style* I'M SORRY! I TRIED SO HARD TO THINK OF A WAY, BUT THE PROBLEM IS IRIS IS CONFIRMED TO ALREADY LIVE IN THE BARIAN WORLD! AND MERAG IS...WELL...HER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNIQUE!**

 **Besides...despite her being an OC, I actually thought long and hard on Nereida's existence. How she's connected to Ryoga, why she's here, what she'll add to the story, and many other things that I have actually hinted at in this chapter. I know ocs can receive a lot of backlash and sometimes make stories unlikable...but I truly do hope you guys will give her a chance and enjoy her presence in the story, and that she doesn't detract newcomers from also enjoying this story.**

 **Now before I get into the reviews...I have to talk about something that happened while I was writing. One reviewer who went under a Guest alias basically tore into my story in a ranting format and calling out things that honestly sound more like he was being a troll or trying to make me mad. This was especially seen with how fast his reviews were shown, as if he wasn't even reading.** **He even said I "failed" and that my story was a waste.**

 **Now whether this person legitimately felt angry or was trying to anger me, I'm not going to bother to lash back at him or get angry for it. I'm also not going to respond to those reviews because not only would he not look at them, but I doubt he'd care. What I will do, is simply say this.**

 **If any of you have a problem with my story...please just tell me in a calm and professional manner. If you don't like something or feel something is off, or even confused, just tell me in a proper review or a pm. I'd be more than happy to discuss it with you and even debate it back and forth. That's part of the fun of writing, to learn and share ideas. Don't do a rant like this guy did. Don't just act like a child and try to make me upset or mad or tear into my story without giving real reasons. That's all.**

 **Okay...that's done. Now onto the reviews.**

 **First though, SPECIAL THANKS to a Special Guest who reviewed several chapters while reading my story, "No Fanfic No Life". I shall do his reviews first as a thank you, then we'll get to the new ones from the previous chapter.**

 **Chapter 8: Glad you enjoy my inclusion of Katie. I have a thing where I see potential in characters who are ignored or minor since they can be molded to many ways and forms (and boy do I have one for her). And yeah, I really enjoy writing Ryoga's interactions with the two just because of how warm they are and how anti-social/awkward Ryoga can be with it. It's very cute and enjoyable, and I do intend to write more of these in the future.**

 **Chapter 10: Yeah...that was even hard for me to write cause I knew I would be tearing into her bad. She's not a bad person...even if her attitude can use a lot of work. I'm glad you enjoyed Ryoga saving her though. And yes...I'm evil at cliffhangers *looks at end of this chapter with a smirk***

 **Chapter 11: I believe you saw that very well a few chapters later *smirks***

 **Chapter 14: Yeah...he's a dick isn't he? Good thing I .."took care" of him. ;)**

 **Chapter 15: Glad you enjoyed my take of Duel Monsters outside of Duels. And hope you enjoyed the other ones I showed.**

 **Chapter 19: Oh Yuri, Yuri, Yuri...heheheh, how could I NOT with the potential he has? Especially for a world SO FITTING for him to go to. And trust me, I want to write that and all the others out, but too many stories = no way to finish them all and not enough focus on 1. So I'm taking my time until I feel more comfortable. And glad you enjoyed Black Hole as the replacement.**

 **Chapter 22: Thank you, and glad you enjoyed the heartwarming. And who knows about the Duelist...you'll just have to wait and see, hehehe.**

 **ALRIGHT! NOW ONTO THE OTHER REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER 23!**

 **gundam 09:** ***does the prostrating in a dogeza style again* I'M SORRY!**

 **Frank Horrigan: I will simply assume all you said was in due to the revelation of the spirit knowing Nasch and wishing to kill me for leaving on a cliffhanger...if so *hides in bunker* I'M SORRY!**

 **jordanlink7856: Money, Wood, and Kaiba's Ego? :D Dude, these things fly through the air like shuriken without bending or ripping. I'm sure someone like Ryoga can use them as ACTUAL shuriken and not have any damage to them at all. Also glad you loved the A/N. Hope you love this one too.**

 **ivan0061509: Hope you enjoyed the new chapter bro!**

 **mega float guest: Ryoga pretending to be the king of water spirits to other elemental spirits... *thinks* ...Ohhh I can do several things with that. I'll have to think about it. Also my friend is a HUGE FAN of the charmers, so if anyone would do it, he could, though he doesn't do much writing *sad face*. And hope turning to roots when not in power huh? Interesting idea. I might be able to do something similar in the future here, but we'll see. Still have a LONG way to go.**

 **Don Orbit:** ***does prostra-* Okay done that joke enough now. Yeah sorry, neither of those was correct. I still hope you like Nereida and what I decided to do though. And yeah...WE NEED OUR SHARK DRAKE FIX DAMMIT! HE WAS SUCH A COOL NUMBER! hahahah.**

 **Guest: I get the feeling this will be repetitive. Sorry, not Iris. I REALLY TRIED AND IT WOULD HAVE BEEN AWESOME IF I COULD HAVE MADE HER THE SPIRIT, but unfortunately the timelines wouldn't match up to make it work and she's already confirmed to be in the Barian World. Sorry *hangs head*. Still, I hope you enjoy Nereida. I hope she doesn't detract you from wanting to continue reading my story.**

 **Double-DecaKiva-DenBlades: KAMEN RIDER! Love that series ^.^. But again...not Iris. As like the guy above, I really did try but it wouldn't have worked. I do pray you aren't upset by this and enjoy the character I put in though.**

 **gold crown dragon: YUUUUP! And now things will become...MUCH more interesting in terms of interactions with the characters.**

 **Omega Porunga: Hey dude! Yeah she knew, and now you know of her! Glad you enjoy what I'm doing and hope you like Nereida and aren't put off with an oc in this story.**

 **duskrider: Hehehe, hope you enjoyed their reactions. Especially since from this point on things will be different between them all. Also really hope you enjoyed Nereida and the name I gave her (which if you know mythology, you might figure out what it represents).**

 **char: THANK YOU! ^.^**

 **VRodNinja: Thank you so much man. You have no idea what seeing a review like that means to me, especially after that one reviewer beat down and basically trashed my story like he did. I'm glad you're enjoying everything from the Duels to the ways this can play out. I know an OC like Nereida might be taking a risk, but we all have to take a chance at times and push ourselves, otherwise we wouldn't become better! And also to answer up your confusion, Siesta's grandfather and the man who saved Osmond are two DIFFERENT people. This was the same in the original ZNT story as well. They are separate individuals, but both come from the same world as Ryoga. Sorry for the confusion, but I hope that helps, and also keep itin mind when thinking on Siesta's grandfather (who I think you and everyone will enjoy when the time for the reveal comes).**

 **As for the ideas, I'll say you've definetly interested me in them. I don't know if I'll include anything Arc-V related because of it taking place after Zexal, but we'll see. As for an Obelisk Force-like force...hmmm...maybe. I'll have to do some more research and reading before I decide anything.**

 **And an Arc-V verison of Yuma...oh my god that sounds amazing! That's actually a really cool idea I didn't consider and would be awesome to include!...Except for the fact that Arc-V apparently erased the old continuity and made it so ZEXAL AND THE REST WERE RESET AND THE EVENTS IN THEM NEVER HAPPENED! DAMN YOU KONAMI! Because of this Yuma is considered to be completely gone and no longer existing in the timeline of Yugioh, instead replaced by Yuto...so yeah...**

 **DAMN YOU KONAMI!**

 **NOW FOR REVIEWS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS!**

 **Guest: I'll assume this was for Chapter 23. Yeah sorry, spirit's not Merag. Though I hope you like Nereida. As FOR Merag...just keep a close eye on things.**

 **Drakosis7734: Pleasure to meet ya! Hope you still are reading this and enjoy the new chapter I put up. Also Hope you just enjoy the story as a whole. It's my first story I've written on here so I'm still a bit of a newbie. If you do have criticism or opinions, please feel free to put them in a review or pm. I would love to hear your feedback. Thank you.**

 **That's all the reviews. Again thank you for the support and don't worry about the guy who did those trashing reviews. Knowing you guys loved the chapter and story beats down anything he could do to put me down.**

 **Now get ready! Cause next chapter the Albion Arc begins...along with something EVERYONE has been waiting for!**

 **Look forward to it*grins as Cat Shark floats beside me and we both holds up hands* INTO THE VRAINS!**

 **"MRROW MRROW MRROW MRROW!"**

 ***we both disappear in an orb of blue light***

 **TrueHeartKnight**


	25. A Noble Request

Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal or Zero no Tsukaima. Yu-Gi-Oh! belongs to Konami Entertainment and Zero no Tsukaima belongs to Noboru Yamaguchi. Please support their works.

* * *

"P-Princess!" Louise immediately went to Henrietta's side, surprise and confusion written all over her face. "What are you doing here? And so late at night alone?"

Henrietta cupped Louise's hands in her own. "I'm sorry for my sudden intrusion. But I have something urgent I need to discuss with the both of y-" she stopped and noticed the buildup of tears in her friend's eyes. "Louise? Are you alright?"

"Huh?" Louise didn't understand what the princess meant until she felt the wet sensation. "O-Oh!" She gave a small gasp and wiped the tears away. "F-Forgive me, Princess, I-I just, I mean uh, I-I'm so happy to see you again."

Henrietta looked worried for a moment before giving a soft smile. "Oh Louise, you always were the sensitive type. Even in the short time we've been apart I've missed you as well."

"Princess…" Louise smiled.

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark flew over to the girls and pushed between their hands.

"Hahaha, of course, it is a pleasure to see you again Sir Cat Shark," Henrietta giggled and rubbed the spirit's head gently. "And to you as well Ryoga. I hope you are doing well this evening."

The purple Duelist glanced over to Louise, who unseen by Henrietta was sending a hard glare right at him. He didn't need to be a mind reader to know she was warning him to watch himself. Deciding it would be less trouble just to do so he broke away from the sight and nodded. "It's been...interesting, you could say. Even more so now with you suddenly appearing like this."

"I imagine it would," Henrietta agreed.

"Princess, why are you here?" Louise questioned. "You said you needed to discuss something urgent. Is everything alright?"

Henrietta folded her hands. "That is…a bit complicated. Please, both of you have a seat."

Ryoga and Louise looked at each other. A wave of emotions were spoken through their eyes before they moved to do as requested. Ryoga decided to grab the chair next to the dresser and sat on it backwards while Louise chose her own bed to sit on. Cat Shark meanwhile rested on its' master's bed on the floor, making sure to keep its' head lifted to watch and listen.

"So, what is this about?" Ryoga asked once everyone was situated.

"Before I answer that, tell me, what do you know about the situation in Albion?" Henrietta asked.

"Albion?" The Duelist's brow rose. He remembered the name from Tabitha's lessons. One of the four kingdoms that ruled Halkeginia. "You mean the island country, the one floating above the sea due to wind stones buried in it? What about it?"

"So you are unaware," Henrietta gave a small sigh. "That's somewhat a relief since the council and I have been trying to slowly ease the news to the rest of the kingdom. We do not wish to cause mass panic among the people."

"What do you mean, Princess?" Louise asked, now feeling worried.

Henrietta didn't speak at first. When she finally did her voice sounded quite hard in tone. "In truth, Albion is currently in a state of civil war," her words caused the two before her to go wide-eyed. "About two months ago an incursion was started by the noble families of Albion. They seek to overthrow the royal family and take over the kingdom, and so far, have prevailed in doing so. My council believes they seek to do the same for all the other kingdoms, and that if they succeed in the incursion, they will then turn their forces on Tristain next. We are the smallest of the four kingdoms and the weakest in terms of militia and strength, so it would be simple enough for them to attempt an invasion."

"A-An invasion?" Louise stuttered. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. The idea of such a thing happening was completely ludicrous, unfathomable even.

Ryoga also found himself questioning this. "I thought the kingdoms were all at peace? Why have the nobles turned against the Albion crown?"

"From what we know the Albion nobles are under some twisted notion of uniting the lands of Halkeginia," Henrietta explained. "For what reason is still unclear. Any spies we've sent have either been unable to report back due to the dangers in the kingdom, or because…"

Or because they were dead. The words didn't need to be spoken for the message to be understood.

"Because of this certain circumstances and decisions have been made regarding this country's future," Henrietta's expression filled with sorrow. "Rather, regarding _my_ future."

"Princess?" Louise grew concerned.

"I am getting married."

Louise gasped. Ryoga's brow furrowed. Cat Shark tilted its' head.

"Specifically, I am to be married to the Emperor of Germania."

"What did you say!?" The shout of the pink noble blew out, forgoing any sense of self-control. "Germania!? T-That country of barbaric upstarts!? You are to marry into them!?"

Ryoga briefly wondered if the pinkette's dislike stemmed from more than just the country's attitude, considering a certain redhead they regularly dealt with also came from Germania. Nonetheless he was just as surprised hearing the news, and once again thankful to Tabitha for providing him some insight into the other kingdoms. If he remembered right, Germania was the largest kingdom in Halkeginia, as well as said to have the strongest military. They had a negative reputation among the other countries however due to the way their society ruled. Many in Tristain even regarded them as a more barbaric and down-to-earth type of country, and considered Germanian people to be brutish and lackadaisical. And here Henrietta was saying she was to be married to the emperor of such a country?

Marriage was no joke, especially when dealing with those as young as the princess. It was to be the sign of an eternal bond between you and your partner, to whom you would be spending the rest of your life with. Did Henrietta even know the emperor to such a degree? Had she even met the guy? Highly doubtful, and considering she spoke about the marriage right after explaining the situation with Albion, there could only be one reason for such an event to be happening during this time of crisis.

"It's a political marriage, isn't it?"

Henrietta flinched at Ryoga's question. Looks like the nail was hit on the head.

"…It is…" the Tristain royal admitted in a subdued tone. "As I said, our militia and strength are the weakest of the four kingdoms, especially when compared to Albion. A straight up war with them would put us at a severe disadvantage and most likely lead to our defeat. But were we to have a strong alliance with a country like Germania, then even the Albian nobles would be hesitant to try anything against us."

"So that's why…" Louise said almost depressingly. It was clear to her from Henrietta's tone that she did not desire this wedding.

"I wish there were another way as well. But it can't be helped. It must be done to solidify our alliance."

"But Princess-"

"It's alright Louise. I do not mind sacrificing myself for the sake of my country," Henrietta lifted her head and gave a smile. It was as fake as her acceptance of such submission. "Besides, I have long since abandoned the notion of marrying the one whom I love."

"Princess…"

Louise didn't know what to say. Sacrificing oneself for the greater good was part of a noble's duty, she understood that well, but to hear that the princess, a person she had known since childhood, would have to make such a sacrifice for the country was heart-wrenching. It was too cruel a fate for someone so kind.

"Those two-faced Albion nobles do not want Tristain and Germania to become allies," Henrietta murmured. "Two arrows are easier to break when they are not tied together. Therefore, they have been frantically searching for anything that would interfere with the marriage," her fingers clenched tightly together. "And they've found something."

" _Found something?"_ Ryoga wondered. He began running possible scenarios in his head. Having dealt with political marriages in one lifetime, most of which revolving around his sister, made him knowledgeable in knowing what ways they could be formed and broken. The question of course being which one did this fall under?

"Then you coming here is about this thing that could get in the way of the wedding?" Louise asked.

"I-" Henrietta began only to stop. She remained that way for a moment before shaking her head. "No, I…I-I cannot tell you."

"Princess?"

"This was a mistake," Henrietta muttered as she moved to the window. "I should go."

"Wait!" Louise got up and reached out to grab Henrietta's hand.

"I'm sorry Louise. Please, just forget I said anything about the marriage."

"I refuse!" Louise declared. "We used to talk about everything when we were younger, but now when you're suffering you won't say anything? Forgive my rudeness Princess, but I cannot accept that! I won't let my friend keep her worries to herself!"

Henrietta's eyes widened and turned on Louise. "You…you finally called me a friend."

Louise's cheeks flustered red. "W-Well, I…t-that is…" she stammered and then mumbled shyly. "I-It's true. You…you are my friend."

Henrietta's lips broke into a small smile. "Thank you, Louise Francoise. You have no idea how happy hearing that makes me," the princess removed her arm from Louise's grip and backed away from the window. She took a moment to compose herself and straighten her posture. Once she did she faced the two again. "If you both truly wish to hear what I have to ask, then I need you to promise that you will not speak of this to anyone. The information I have could change the tide of everything going on and lead to great devastation if it fell into the wrong hands."

"Of course, Princess!" Louise immediately bent to a knee and bowed.

" _It's that serious?"_ Ryoga thought, now growing suspicious. He still nodded so he could learn more.

"Mrrow!" Cat Shark waved its' fin also in agreement, even if it didn't fully understand.

Henrietta smiled at them. She placed her hands above her heart and took a deep breath. "Founder Brimir above, please save this unfortunate princess," she silently prayed while gathering the courage to speak. "The thing the incursion have discovered...it is a letter I wrote some time ago."

"A letter?" Ryoga repeated.

"Yes. If those Albion nobles get their hands on it, they would probably send it forward to the Germanian Imperial Family as soon as they could."

"What kind of letter is it?" Louise wondered.

Henrietta turned away. "I…cannot say. But there is no doubt that if the Germanian Imperial Family were to read it, they would never forgive me. The marriage would fall through, and with it, the alliance with Tristain. Then we would have no choice but to stand alone against the strength of Albion."

" _The letter is something scandalous then,"_ Ryoga concluded. If this letter could break the alliance then Henrietta must have written something that would anger the Germanian Emperor.

"Where is this letter exactly?" Louise asked.

"At the heart of the conflict, in Albion borders," Henrietta replied.

"In Albion!?" The pinkette shrieked. "But if it's already there then doesn't that mean the enemy already has it?"

"No," Henrietta shook her head. "Thankfully it is not with the rebels, and instead in the hands of the leader who opposes them. Prince Wales."

Louise gasped. "Prince Wales? The Valiant Prince?"

"I assume he's the ruler of Albion?" Ryoga asked.

"He is, and he-" Henrietta cut herself off. Her face contorted almost as if in pain, with her eyes growing moist and her body starting to shake. "He…he…"

"Princess?" Louise called out worried. She gasped when she saw Henrietta crumble to her knees and put her hands over her face. "P-Princess!"

"It's a disaster!" The princess wailed. "Sooner or later, Prince Wales will fall captive to the rebels! And when that happens the letter will come to light! And then everything will be ruined! Ruined! Without an alliance, Tristain would have to take on Albion by itself!"

Louise immediately rushed to her friend's side to try and comfort her. Ryoga meanwhile stood from his seat as his eyes locked onto the curled-up form of the princess.

This wasn't a normal reaction. By _any_ means. He understood the fear of putting your kingdom and people in danger better than anyone, but this kind of display went beyond simple fear. Hell, it could be classified as overly dramatic. Was Henrietta that scared of having to face Albion alone? She was acting more like a widower in mourning than a princ-

The final piece clicked together inside Ryoga's head.

"Impossible! It's impossible, Louise!" Henrietta continued breaking down. "How could I be so terrible? It's all confusing! When I think about it, I couldn't ask you to do such a dangerous thing as to go to Albion while this conflict between the nobles and the royalists is unfolding!"

Louise gained a look of understanding. "Then Princess, the favor you wish to ask of us…"

"I'm too cruel. To ask this of a friend is too cruel for someone like me. But you're the only ones I can ask such a thing," Henrietta lifted her head, showing a stream of tears trailing down her cheeks. "The only two I can rely on."

"Princess I-"

"A love letter," Ryoga's voice drew both girls attention. "That's what it is, isn't it? This thing that could break up the marriage. It's a love letter."

Henrietta's face filled with shock. "H-How did you know?"

"Well for one, you just admitted it," the Duelist said, making the princess gasp at how she just gave herself away. "But really it's easy enough to depict from the way you're acting and it makes the most sense. What better way to destroy a marriage than to discover one of the people involved is unfaithful to the marriage and in love with someone else. And based on how you broke down when Wales was mentioned, I can assume he's the one you're in love with. Meaning if the rebels got their hands on the letter, they could spin it to sound even worse than it is, like you were having an affair during the engagement or something."

Henrietta was stunned for a moment before hanging her head and letting out a defeated laugh. "Amazing. You are certainly more perceptive than many people would give credit for."

"Then it's true?" Louise looked at her friend amazed. "Princess, you're in love with your cousin?"

Ryoga nearly tripped over himself. "C-Cousin? Wait, Wales is her cousin?"

Henrietta looked slightly embarrassed and nervously twiddled her hands. "Yes. Prince Wales is my cousin, and I…I am indeed in love with him."

A baffled expression showed on Ryoga's face. It took a good couple of seconds before he recomposed himself and sighed. "In love with her cousin…sure, why not. Different world, different rules I guess," he muttered quietly to himself. It wasn't like it was the weirdest thing he'd encountered in his lifetimes. One merely had to look at Heartland to get a perfect example of that. Shaking off the surprise he addressed Henrietta again. "So this letter of yours, it conveys your feelings for Wales?"

"It does," the purple-haired royal admitted, finally standing back on her feet and wiping her tears.

"And from what I'm getting you wish for us to retrieve it?"

"That is correct. Were the letter to be brought into the open any hope of uniting with Germania would be extinguished. That is why it must be reclaimed before it is too late."

"If that's the case why not just destroy it?"

Henrietta's eyes widened.

"Ryoga!" Louise shouted at the Duelist. "That letter is a sign of the Princess's love for Prince Wales! You can't just destroy it!"

"We can if it's putting the kingdom in jeopardy," the former Barian reasoned. "An entire alliance could be broken because of one piece of paper with ink on it. Getting rid of it is the best way to prevent that."

"That's doesn't mean destroying it! That's why the Princess came to us, so we can retrieve it!"

"And what happens if we get captured and the incursion take it from us? So long as the letter exist its' very presence is a threat. Hell, if Wales is as aware of the situation as Henrietta then he should know keeping the letter will only increase the chances of it being found. I'm surprised he hasn't gotten rid of it already."

"That's because he can't," Henrietta spoke, her voice taking a much softer tone but still grabbing their attention.

"What do you mean?" Ryoga asked.

Henrietta walked over to the window and put her hand on the glass. "When the Albion nobles started winning the civil war and killing off members of the royal family, I sent a message to Wales. I asked him to burn the letter so that the nobles wouldn't be able to use it against Tristain," she lifted her eyes up towards the twin moons. "A week later I received a message back telling me he wouldn't do it."

"What!?" Ryoga yelled in disbelief. Louise looked just as surprised.

"I had the same response," Henrietta gave a bitter laugh. "'What was he thinking', I wondered? Was he not taking this seriously? But as I read the message I began to understand. The turmoil in Albion is overwhelming, to the point that it's easy for those fighting against it to give into despair. Some of the royal family and soldiers even surrendered themselves thinking it would spare their lives…it didn't."

Louise gasped while Ryoga frowned.

"But Wales…" Henrietta's fingers curled together against the glass as her voice began to tremble. "He…in the words he wrote, he told me that he couldn't bring himself to destroy the letter because it kept him going. With everything going on, he became afraid. Afraid that he too would lose himself to the despair and give up just like the rest. But my letter…even knowing how dangerous and reckless keeping it would be, he said it was one of the few things that strengthened his resolve to keep fighting. That gave him hope. He couldn't destroy that even knowing the risk, and said that if I wanted the letter gone that badly I…" she pulled away from the window and showed her broken expression. "I would have to take it from him."

The desperation and turmoil in Henrietta's voice would be hard-pressed to miss. It made Ryoga feel some sympathy for his fellow royal, especially regarding what she said about the letter giving Wales hope. He had plenty witnessed the strength hope could give people, himself being included. His best friend even embodied hope and used it as his very weapon to combat others. If the letter really was giving Wales the courage to keep fighting, then taking away such hope would be like taking away his reason to go on.

His reason to live.

"Princess…" Louise clasped her friend's hands in her own. "Don't worry. Be it the kettles of hell or into the jaws of a dragon, if it's for Princess' sake, I'll go anywhere! There is no way the third daughter of the House of la Valliere, Louise Francoise, could overlook such a crisis for Princess and Tristain!"

Henrietta's face lit with hope. "So you will help me?"

"Of course!" Louise said passionately. "Princess, I, Louise, forever friend of the princess, will be your confidante! Have you forgotten my vow of eternal loyalty?"

The princess's eyes began to water again. "Ah, the loyalty. This loyalty and sincere friendship! I'm deeply moved. I will never forget through life your loyalty and friendship, Louise Françoise, my dear friend!"

Ryoga resisted the urge to roll his eyes. The way the noble and princess were going on was like a bad opera play. Least it wasn't as corny and ridiculous as all those friendship and bond speeches Yuma and his friends gave. "Hate to interrupt this moment and all-" he didn't really. "-but you still didn't answer my question. Will you let us destroy the letter if we have to?"

Henrietta looked down, probably contemplating the idea. After a few seconds she gave a solemn nod. "If such a thing cannot be avoided, then you may do what you think is best. All I ask is you do not destroy the letter in front of Wales."

"That won't happen," Louise reassured. "Princess, I promise we'll get the letter and return it safely to you. It won't be destroyed."

"Don't make a promise you can't keep," Ryoga muttered. It wasn't as quiet as he hoped, since Louise's head snapped towards his direction with a fierce glare.

"We _will_ keep it."

"You don't know that'll happen."

"It will!" Louise insisted, making it sound like there was no other alternative. "That letter isn't going to be destroyed Ryoga! It carries the hope of the princess and Wales!"

"You think I don't know that!?" Ryoga shouted back. "I get what that letter means to them! But their hope won't mean anything if the hope of the kingdom is destroyed with it!"

"As if someone like you could understand hope!"

Ryoga stiffened. "Excuse me?"

Louise didn't back down. She had had enough of Ryoga's attitude and blatant disregard for the letter, and with that already adding onto the feelings from earlier, she decided to make well-known what she felt. "You don't even care for the princess's feelings! The only thing that matters in your head is destroying the letter! How could anyone so cold-hearted know anything about hope!?"

The temperature in the room seemed to drop dangerously low as Ryoga's eyes turned frigid cold.

"Don't…talk to me…about hope!"

How dare she. How fucking _dare_ she!

She knew nothing! Nothing about what real hope was! Nothing about the sacrifices and struggles required to achieve it!

How many hopes had he shattered to do what was necessary, or to protect someone else's hope? How many times did he have to suffer just to defend those he loved? This was no different from all those other times, something she couldn't possibly understand. Regardless of what Wales or Henrietta felt, that letter needed to be taken care of one way or another, and if Louise couldn't see that then she was being nothing but an idealistic fool.

As the two of them continued arguing Cat Shark caught ear of a sound by the door to the room. Looking over, the Xyz saw that the door was ever so slightly pushed open and that a pair of eyes were peeking through the crevasse. Curiosity catching its' interest Cat Shark picked itself up and floated over.

"P-Please you two, calm down," Henrietta pleaded, confused by Louise and Ryoga's sudden anger towards each other. Despite her efforts her voice didn't seem to reach either of them as they continued shouting.

"At least the princess can be honest with herself! She doesn't have anything to hide!" Louise yelled.

"I had my reasons! You're the one who refuses to listen!" Ryoga snapped back.

"How can I listen to nothing but a liar!?"

"How about by opening those damn ears of yours!"

"You're nothing but an uncaring jerk!"

"And you're nothing but a blind idiot!"

"STUPID COMMONER!"

"ARROGANT CHIBI!"

"Mrrow!" Suddenly Cat Shark swung the door to the room wide open, revealing two figures standing right behind it. The sudden opening caught them by surprise and caused them to stumble inside and cry out as they hit the ground, grabbing the attention of the occupants inside and making them jump. The tense atmosphere was completely broken by the action, and upon seeing who it was that fell into the room Ryoga and Louise both gained surprised looks.

"Guiche! Katie!" The duo shouted in unison. The two nobles lay on the floorboard, slightly dazed from the fall. Katie was the first to look up, her cheeks flustered red in embarrassment.

"Ah, h-hello Sir Shark, M-Miss Louise."

"What the heck are you two doing here?" Ryoga questioned, having completely lost the heat from a moment ago.

"Well we weren't expecting to be tossed to the floor, I can say that for certain," Guiche groaned and rubbed his head as he stood back up.

"Were you hiding behind the door?" Louise accused with suspicion. "Don't tell me you two were eavesdropping? Did you hear our conversation just now!?"

Katie paled and rapidly shook her head. "I-It wasn't like that! We didn't mean to- I-I mean that wasn't our intent! W-We just, ah-"

"Katie," the firmness in Ryoga's voice made her stop.

"Ah…I…" Katie hanged her head. "I'm sorry," she quietly apologized, all but admitting her guilt to the action. "I didn't mean too. It's just that after you ran off like that I became worried, so I followed after to see if the-" she paused briefly, sending a glance at Henrietta and considering her words. "Err, to see if Louise was okay and make sure everything was alright, and then when I heard the voice of the princess I just…got curious."

Ryoga sighed. He could certainly see that being something Katie would do, not that he could blame her given he'd probably have done the same. "And what of you?" He threw his attention onto Guiche. "Eavesdropping I can certainly picture, but what reason do you have to be here? Don't tell me you were worried as well."

"I'll have you know I _was_ worried!" Guiche huffed. "If things didn't work out like they were supposed to then I needed to know. Last thing I want is for you to be even angrier at Montmorency or I for it!"

Ryoga rolled his eyes. Yeah, that was more along the lines of what he was expecting.

"How much did you hear?" Louise asked glaring.

Katie diverted her gaze. "We uh…we came around the time where the princess admitted her engagement."

Ryoga cursed. Ignoring the fact that they saw him and Louise with Henrietta, who nobody was supposed to know was even here, that meant they heard practically everything discussed. There was no way they could just be let go now.

"What do we do?" Louise wondered. "They overheard the princess's story. Shall we have them hanged?"

"Nobody's getting hanged," Ryoga immediately shot the idea down. "Or at least Katie isn't. She can be trusted with a secret. Guiche on the other hand..." he bore his eyes into the playboy. "Well who knows what he might spill if some girl tries to flirt with him," the Duelist tapped the hilt of Derflinger. "Might be best to pull that weed out before it spreads."

Guiche blanched. "W-W-W-Wait a second!" Almost immediately after hearing those words he bolted between the two and bowed to Henrietta. "Your Highness, I deeply apologize for my rudeness and spying, but I ask forgiveness and plead for you to spare my life and appoint me, Guiche de Gramont, to this difficult mission!"

"I was only kidding you know," Ryoga deadpanned.

"I wasn't," Louise muttered, her words turning Katie pale.

"Gramont?" Henrietta studied the blonde noble's face. "By chance are you the son of General Gramont?"

"I am," Guiche nodded.

"And you are saying that you wish to help me?" Henrietta affirmed.

"Of course! It would be an unexpected blessing for me if I were to become a part of that mission."

"And I'm sure it has _nothing_ to do with saving your own skin," Ryoga commented.

"Don't say such rude things!" Guiche shouted. "I am absolutely just wanting to be of use to her highness."

Henrietta considered the offer before smiling at Guiche's enthusiastic expression. "Thank you. Your father is a great, brave, and very noble man who has helped me many times before, and it seems you have inherited his blood. So please, would you help this unfortunate princess, Sir Guiche?"

"Huh!?" Ryoga and Louise echoed simultaneously.

Guiche felt his heart skip a beat at the pure radiance of the princess. Such beauty and splendor made him immediately bob his head up and down in rapid succession. "O-Of course!"

"W-Wait a second!" Louise shrieked, looking far from pleased by the decision. "Princess, you're not actually going to let him join us are you?"

"I don't see why not," Henrietta said. "The only other option would be to execute him as suggested," Guiche blanched hearing that. "But I would rather not spill more blood than there has been already. And knowing the son of General Gramont is assisting with this task would be a huge relief to me, especially since he seems to be a good friend of yours."

"I wouldn't exactly call him a friend," the pink noble muttered.

"She does have a point though," Ryoga commented. "I may have joked on the executing part, but he did still overhear everything that we discussed. We can't just leave him in the school without having someone to keep an eye on him and stop him from spilling the beans. Besides, having an extra hand might be useful."

"Does that include me too?" Katie asked. "Cause if so then I wouldn't mind offering my help as well," she walked up to Henrietta and bowed. "Your Majesty, I too apologize for eavesdropping and beg for forgiveness. To make up for my mistakes please allow me, Katherine de Brandam, to also assist in this task."

Henrietta's eyes went wide. "Brandam? Do you mean _that_ Brandam? The ones associated with the pope's Elemental Knight?" The princess asked, her question causing Louise and Guiche to also become shocked.

"That's right," Katie smiled. "He's my brother after all. Well, to me anyways."

A gasp could be heard from all the nobles in the room. Ryoga and Cat Shark just blinked confused.

"Your brother?" The former king directed at Katie. "Do you mean the one you told me about the other day?"

The brunette's cheeks became red again. "Y-Yeah, that's the one. I guess you could say he's…kind of an important person in the world."

"Important how?" Ryoga asked. It was Henrietta who answered for him.

"The Elemental Knight is someone who in the last decade has made a name for himself in Halkeginia. He's a powerful mage, said to be able to use all four elements with such ease and finesse that it's rumored he doesn't even use a wand or incantation to do so. He also works for the pope of Romalia, acting as his right hand and fulfilling any task assigned to him without difficulty. He's even said to have defeated many high-class monsters, as well as stand up for people in trouble regardless of their status."

"Sheesh, talk about sounding impressive," Ryoga said, his tone laced with interest.

"But I thought he was just a rumor," Louise said. "The story of the Elemental Knight is something that's existed well over a decade ago, isn't it?"

"Yes, but believe me he's no rumor," Henrietta replied. "I even met him once before, though it was only for a brief time. He was quite the bright and charming character, and is very humble about his title."

"That's my brother alright," Katie giggled. "He's always been that way."

"How'd he get the title of 'Elemental Knight' then if it's just a story?" Ryoga wondered.

"It was granted to him by the pope for his valor and deeds," Katie explained. "He said the pope felt it a fitting title to have since my brother fit the story of the Elemental Knight very well."

"If what I just heard is anything to go by, I can certainly see why."

"Y-Yeah," Katie lowered her head. "I'm sorry I didn't mention it to you before Sir Shark. It's just that my brother isn't one for being praised a lot and likes to keep his privacy, especially in regards to his 'connections'. People who tend to find out usually wind up trying to use my family in some way to get to him. I don't believe you're the type of person to do that, but it's...well…"

"It's not something you can talk about either," Ryoga finished, earning a nod from the first-year. "I understand. I mean…it's not like I haven't done the same to you," he gained a guilty look and glanced over to Louise when saying that. The pink noble just frowned and looked away.

"S-She's related to the Elemental Knight?" Guiche mumbled, having been in a daze since the reveal. Shock and fear pulsed through his veins at the idea of Katie calling someone who was known as one of the strongest mages of their generation her brother. If they were as close as she implied, then if the Elemental Knight discovered how Katie had her heart broken because of him, he'd be…h-h-he'd be…

 **THUD!**

Everyone turned to see Guiche on the floor in a faint. Cat Shark flew over to the body and poked his cheeks a few times to try and get a response. When none occurred the spirit shrugged.

"Mrrow?"

"He'll be fine," Ryoga reassured. Not like the idiot hadn't survived worse.

"Ah, right then," Henrietta coughed into her hand, using the distraction as a way to get back on track. "Lady Katherine, your family has always been one of the most loyal and trustworthy allies to the royal family, especially to my father before he died, and with your connection to the Elemental Knight you have been sanctioned as a family protected by the church. So I ask, would you please lend this poor princess your aid?"

Katie turned to the princess and nodded. "Of course, Princess."

"Thank you. All of you. I feel more confident now than ever in knowing this task will be in such capable hands," Henrietta said smiling.

"Of course, Princess," Louise bowed. "We'll leave as soon as we can."

"You may do so the day after tomorrow. Now that I know you've accepted this task, I can have someone assigned to assist you. He will be your guide into Albion."

"An extra hand huh?" Ryoga commented. "Not a bad idea given I've never even been to Albion."

"Neither have I," Katie said.

"Mrrow mrrow," Cat Shark nodded.

"I have," Louise stated, almost sounding proud of it. "I've travelled through Albion with my sisters before, so I'm familiar with the geography."

"Yes well, we aren't you," Ryoga threw out, earning another glare.

"Nevertheless, it will be a perilous journey," Henrietta spoke. "If the nobles of Albion discover your mission they will do everything in their power to get in your way. I would rather be assured that there was someone to watch you in such times," she turned away. "Also…there is one more thing I'd like for you to do."

The trio watched as Henrietta went over to Louise's desk and grabbed a piece of parchment and a feather quill. Dipping it in ink she wrote on the parchment, turning it into a letter. After a minute of quietly gazing over it she shook her head and gave a sad and bitter-sounding laugh.

"Princess? What's the matter?" Louise called worried.

"I-It's nothing," Henrietta answered back. After a couple of seconds she gave a nod, as if she had settled on something, then added one more line onto the end of the letter. After that, she murmured in a soft voice. "Founder Brimir, please forgive this selfish princess. Even though my country is in distress, I cannot help but write this one sentence…I cannot lie about my own feelings."

Henrietta rolled up the letter she had written and pulled out the scepter at her waist. With a wave of her hand a sealing wax appeared out of nowhere on the now rolled-up letter and pressed down into a seal. After it hardened she took the letter and handed it to Louise.

"When you meet the Crown Prince Wales, please pass this letter to him. He should then return the letter in question immediately."

"Princess…" Louise looked down at the letter. She didn't need to be a genius to understand what she was possibly holding.

"And also…" Henrietta lifted her right hand and removed from her ring finger a silver ring with a blue gem in the center. "Take this. It's the Water Ruby that I received from my mother. It should work as a good-luck charm, but if you have any money concerns please sell this to get some travel funds."

"Princess…"

Henrietta simply smiled. "This mission is for the future of Tristain. For that, my mother's ring will protect you from the harsh winds blowing in Albion, and hopefully bring you to Wales safely. I trust in you, all of you, to come back safely. Please don't break that trust."

* * *

Henrietta left shortly after her final words, leaving through the same window she entered. Katie meanwhile took Guiche back to his room and said she'd leave a message for him about what he missed. This left Louise and Ryoga alone once more, and because of it, brought back the same tense atmosphere from earlier.

Ryoga opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it. He wasn't sure what to say, or even if he could say anything right now. In a way he was grateful for Henrietta's intrusion, despite this new situation they were pulled into, because it had given him and Louise the time to calm down and focus their attention on a different matter. Or at least it should have. But even with the princess's presence, there was no cutting off the problems they had now. It was just too big to ignore.

"This isn't over."

Ryoga blinked and looked over at Louise, who had her back to him. She moved towards her dresser and grabbed her sleepwear, all while refusing to turn and look him in the face.

"Whatever happens with that letter, whether we manage to find Wales or not, it doesn't change anything. The princess is more important, so I'll put this issue aside for now. But let me make this clear as I can," Louise finished getting dressed and remained still. "The princess said she trusted us, which means she trust _you_. But I…I don't."

"Louise-"

"SHUT UP!"

The shout cut Ryoga from whatever he was about to say.

"You lied to me! Deceived me! Betrayed me when I believed in you, had faith in you, and all the while when I was starting to…to…" Louise trembled for a moment, looking like she was about to break down before she stopped and collected herself. She put out the candle on the desk, shrouding the room in darkness, and moved to lay under her bed covers. "You can still sleep here until we leave for Albion, but as of now…I've lost all my trust in you. Anything you say to me, I'll consider to be nothing more than another lie. I don't trust you...I _can't_ trust you…not anymore."

Louise said nothing else, and Ryoga got the feeling there wouldn't be anything more even if he said something. With a frown on his face he moved to his bed, deciding it was best to just end the day then and now.

With his eyes closed and his mind attempting to slumber, he never heard the sound of choking sobs beneath Louise's sheets.

"I hate you…"

* * *

The day arrived for the journey to Albion, and as the first rays of the morning sun slowly peeked over the nearby mountains, Ryoga, Louise, Katie, Guiche, and Cat Shark all gathered at the entrance of the school. Although dawn had just broken they had already started preparing the saddles for their horses beforehand, so as to not let anyone else be aware of their leaving. The headmaster was the only one who would know about their departure, thanks to Henrietta speaking with him, and had already prepared the excuses of their absence for the other professors.

As they finished preparations Ryoga glanced over to Louise, who hadn't directly spoken to him since the night Henrietta came to them. The memory of how she said she didn't trust him anymore brought a frown to his face. He quickly hid it though, knowing now wasn't the time to concern himself with such thoughts. This trip would give her the time to calm down, which would also give him time to think of what to say, and hopefully if, not when, they returned, they'd be able to settle this issue.

"The other students will soon be waking up. How much longer before we leave?" Katie wondered aloud.

"We still have to wait for this contact of Henrietta's," Ryoga reminded. "We can't leave without them since they'll be the one escorting us. Let's just hope they don't take too much longer to get here."

"Oh, that reminds me!" Guiche suddenly spoke. "I almost forgot to ask, but I have a request to make."

"A request?" Ryoga's brow rose. "Now of all times?"

"It's a simple one I assure you," the playboy insisted. "I simply wish to bring my familiar along with us."

"Your familiar?"

"Oh, you mean Verdandi?" Katie asked.

"That's right!" Guiche said with delight. "I'm surprised you remembered."

"Well of course. How could I forget when you spoke so much about him while two-timing me," Katie said with a completely innocent tone, which made the jab at Guiche's heart all the more painful.

"Gonna need a salve for that burn," Ryoga joked while biting the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing. On his waist Derflinger's sheath began shaking, most likely indicating the sword's own laughter.

"I-In any case, I'd like for him to come along with us if it isn't an issue," Guiche said, trying to straighten himself and not appear affected by Katie's words.

"And where _is_ your familiar?" Louise asked. It was the first time she spoke this morning.

"Here," Guiche replied while pointing to the ground. The group looked at the spot and then back up at him.

"There's nothing on the ground," Louise said.

Guiche smiled and tapped the ground several times. Suddenly the earth nearby began shaking and caved in for a moment before pushing outwards, as a creature poked its' head out from the earth. Despite its' size being equivalent to a small bear, it took only a second to recognize it as a giant mole.

"Verdandi! Oh, my cute Verdandi!" Guiche immediately began snuggling the giant subterranean mammal.

"Oh right, that thing," Ryoga muttered with recognition. He saw it on occasion during lunch hour and remembered it being on Guiche's lap when he served those treats during the Familiar Bonding Event.

"He is not just a _thing_!" Guiche declared. "He is my cute Verdandi."

"Well he's not entirely wrong about the cute part," Katie said, finding the furry creature to be kind of adorable.

Guiche looked to the mole and smiled. "Ahh, my Verdandi, you look so cute from any angle I look. Have you eaten your meal of earthworms before you arrived here?" The mole gave a series of happy sounding hums. "Really? That's wonderful!"

"Mrrow?" Cat Shark flew over to the duo and waved happily. "Mrrow mrrow!"

Verdandi looked up and made a series of humming sounds.

"Mrrow," Cat Shark nodded. "Mrrow mrrow mrrow!"

"Well good to know they're getting along already," Katie smiled at the scene.

"Hard not to when dealing with Cat Shark," Ryoga smiled as well.

"Guiche, you can't be serious?" Louise walked over and said. "Do you really think you can bring it along with us? That creature moves underground right?"

"That's right," Guiche nodded. "Even though he's slightly bigger than usual, Verdandi is still a mole."

"Then how would we even bring it with us? We're all riding on horses," Louise motioned to the riding animals beside them.

"That's all right. Verdandi moves along quickly underground. Am I right, Verdandi?" Guiche rubbed his mole's head. The furry familiar gave a nod of agreement.

"But we're going to Albion! We can't bring creatures that move underground!"

"She's not wrong," Ryoga agreed. "It's a giant floating continent after all. Wouldn't it be kinda dangerous for your familiar? What if he digs too far and falls through the bottom or something?"

"Don't speak such words! You'll terrify him!" Guiche hugged Verdandi tighter. "Besides, my lovely Verdandi is too smart for such horridness!"

"He can't come!" Louise declared.

"But I cannot bear to part with him again! He thought I abandoned him at the school when I went to Lagdorian Lake with you! Do not separate us again!"

Ryoga and Louise simultaneously groaned. At the same time, Verdandi's nose twitched as he seemed to pick up some kind of scent. The mole pulled himself out of Guiche's hug and slowly drew nearer and nearer to Louise, who upon noticing became nervous and began backing up.

"W-What is this stupid mole trying to do?" The pinkette demanded to know.

"Well given it's Guiche's familiar, maybe he's got a thing for girls too," Ryoga suggested.

"That does make sense," Katie agreed.

"Mrrow," Cat Shark nodded.

"Stop talking about me in a negative fashion!" Guiche protested.

"Gah!" Louise yelped as Verdandi suddenly leaped up and knocked her to the ground. The mole quickly moved over her and began sniffing her entire body, both tickling her and making her freak out at the same time. "W-Watch where you're sniffing! S-Stop it! No!"

Despite Louise's cries the giant mole didn't listen and constantly poked her with his nose. She started to roll all over the ground to get away but it wasn't working. Meanwhile the others continued watching the scene, knowing they should help but finding themselves unable to do so. It was just too bizarre and fascinating to try look away from or interfere with.

"Ah, how beautiful is the scene of a giant mole teasing a damsel?" Guiche said nodding.

"I don't think that's the kind of description I'd use," Katie deadpanned.

"I know what description _I'd_ use," Derflinger muttered quietly with a chuckle. He yelped as he was slammed back into his sheath by Ryoga.

"Stop blabbering nonsense over there you oafs!" Louise shouted angrily. "Come over and help me quick- ah!" She freaked when she felt the mole's nose began pecking at her right hand. Specifically, on the Water Ruby she was wearing. "You insolent mole! Don't use your nose to sniff at the ring the highness has bestowed to me!"

"Oh, now I see," Guiche slammed a fist into his palm with understanding. "It's the ring. Verdandi loves jewels, especially ones that are quite valuable."

"Such an irritating pest!"

"Please don't call Verdandi an irritating pest. It's because of me that Verdandi searches for precious stones and jewels. For an Earth magician, there's nothing more helpful than this."

"So your mole can sniff out rare jewels?" Ryoga questioned.

"Indeed! Verdandi's nose is so strong that he can even track down any stone he's smelled once no matter where it is," Guiche praised his familiar. "Isn't my Verdandi wonderful?"

Ryoga didn't deny the use of such talent, but he didn't admit it either. "So what you're saying is it's your fault Louise is currently being violated?"

"How did you reach that conclusion!?"

"Forget that!" Louise shouted, her patience, as well as her strength, reaching its' limit. "I won't stand for some mole trying to eat the ring the princess gave me! Enough talking! Just help me!"

Just then out of nowhere a powerful gust of wind slammed into the side of Verdandi. The giant mole was sent hurling off Louise's body and onto the ground, becoming dazed and confused by the impact.

"Verdandi!" Guiche cried out shocked. "Who did that!? Who's there!?"

"Up there!" Katie's voice snapped everyone's attention skyward.

A loud groaning sound emitted as the group saw a large creature floating downwards through the morning mist. It was huge, at least three times the size of the horses nearby, and had a very strange appearance. It had an eagle's head, wings, legs, and talons for the front of its' body, however the rear was that of a lion's, complete with a tail and hind legs.

"A griffin?" Ryoga muttered, surprised by the sight of the mythological beast but still keeping his hand on Derflinger.

The griffin landed before the group with a loud thump. It briefly stared at them before lowering itself to the ground, revealing a figure sitting on its' back. The figure looked to be a rather stout looking man with a dark cloak draped around his shoulders and a feathered cap adorning his head. The man quickly got off of his mount and walked towards the group, making them tense.

"You! What have you done to my Verdandi!?" Guiche yelled at the stranger. He hastily took out his wand, but as quickly as it appeared in his hand, it vanished, making the playboy gasp.

"At ease. I am not your enemy," the man in the feathered cap spoke, showing the rose wand in his hand.

" _Fast,"_ Ryoga's eyes narrowed. He doubted the others caught the movement like he did, but even he had to admit that he was caught off guard by the speed this stranger showed. If he hadn't been watching him in that exact moment he might not have even noticed it.

"Who are you?" Guiche demanded despite being disarmed.

"I'm under the orders of the highness to accompany you on your journey," the man's answer surprised everyone. "I believe the princess told you of this already, but she was worried about just having you few going to Albion. Normally we'd send a whole troop of soldiers, but that'd be too conspicuous. Therefore, I was appointed to accompany you all on this journey," the stranger removed his feather cap, revealing a handsome face sported by a gray beard and moustache, as well as long hair. "I'm the captain of the Griffin Knights, Viscount Wardes."

Guiche's angry expression instantly dissipated. "Griffin Knights?"

"Of the Mage Guard?" Katie said equally amazed.

Ryoga raised a brow at the reactions. Griffin Knights? Mage Guard? Didn't ring a bell from his studies, though it certainly sounded like something big and important, which could be said for almost everything lately.

"Sorry for what I did to your familiar," Wardes apologized to Guiche. "I just couldn't stand watching my fiancee being harassed."

A pin drop could be heard.

"What?"

Ryoga's defensive stance faltered as he vocalized his thoughts, which seemed equally shared by Guiche and Katie. They all turned to Louise, who was back on her feet and bright red in the face as she looked at the man before them.

"L-Lord Wardes…"

The captain looked at Louise and smiled. "It's been such a long time, my Louise. My dear, dear Louise."

Guiche gaped. Katie rubbed her eyes. Cat Shark tilted its' head. And Ryoga just watched with a mixture of several emotions, the top of which being absolute bafflement and confusion.

" _Her fiance?"_ The former king's eyes moved between the chibi and captain in rapid succession. Louise was engaged? Like, legitimately engaged to marry this guy? He had to take a moment to register this.

Okay yes, this world was similar to his first life and had the whole marry at a young age thing. He understood that. Maybe it was decided by Louise's parents or something. She was a noble after all, so it made sense her family would want to create connections with strong and wealthy individuals. Similar offers were made to him and Rio in their first life, all of which were rejected. Based on that plus the reactions Guiche and Katie gave a moment ago, this Wardes fellow was more than likely someone of noticeable worth, making him a good target to have connections with.

But what by the Numeron Dragon was with the young females of this world being engaged to guys _way_ older than them!? Seriously, this Wardes guy looked ten years Louise's senior at the very least! That wasn't just wrong, it was downright creepy! This kind of thing would never fly back in Heartland! The guy would be hunted down and arrested on the spot!

First Henrietta and the Germanian Emperor, which was more political than anything, and now this? Did age gaps even exist in this world when it came to engagements!? There was such a thing as pedophilia Kami dammit!

"Impossible," Guiche mumbled. "This majestic looking noble, Lord Wardes, is Louise's fiance?"

"It's almost hard to believe," Katie whispered, her own cheeks dusted red from the man's looks.

" _How are you not disturbed by this!?"_ Ryoga shouted in his head.

"It is true, I assure you," Wardes chuckled. He approached Louise with a radiating smile and gently grasped her hands in his own. "Louise, I'm sorry to have surprised you like this. I thought you to be in danger and rushed in without thinking."

Louise became redder. "I-It's fine. I just can't believe you're here. It's really been such a long time since we last saw each other."

"Too long in my opinion," Wardes suddenly scooped Louise in his arms, carrying her in a bridal like fashion and causing her to "eep" in surprise. "Hahaha. As light as ever it seems. Just like a feather."

Louise's face was becoming hotter by the second. "V-V-Viscount, please. Don't be like this. There are people over here."

"Forgive me, I simply couldn't help myself," Wardes smiled and gently put her back down before returning his cap onto his head. "Now then, care to introduce me to your companions?"

"Of course," Louise nodded and pointed to the others. "That one there is Guiche de Gramont. The one beside him is Katherine de Brandom. We call her Katie for short," the two bowed their heads respectfully. "And…" she paused at Ryoga, her eyes narrowing for a moment before she continued. "And…that one in purple is…Kamishiro Ryoga, also called Shark. He's my…familiar, while the creature beside him is his pet, Cat Shark."

The spite in Louise's usage of his name was evident to the former king. Even if it was understandable it still hurt in a way. At least she was keeping up the guise of him being her familiar and not just ratting out his secrets. Not yet anyways.

"Your familiar?" Wardes inquired, not seeming to hear Louise's negative tone as he looked towards Ryoga curiously. "Then the rumors were true after all. How interesting. This is the first time I've seen a human being a familiar," he bowed his head to the boy. "Kamishiro Ryoga was it? Thank you for taking care of my fiancee in my absence."

"Ah, no problem. And just call me Ryoga," the purple-haired teen responded back, feeling a bit awkward from the thanks. He was speaking with the fiance of the girl he'd been living with after all. "Got to ask though, are you really engaged to Louise?"

"I am."

The firmness in the answer told Ryoga it was indeed true, and made his disturbance at the age difference all the worse for it. He kept it visibly hidden though and simply responded with. "You have my sympathy then for being engaged to a fireball like her."

Wardes laughed. "Indeed, she's certainly a spirited one isn't she? But it's part of what makes her so cute."

"L-Lord Wardes!" Louise became flustered again.

"Hahaha, I'm sorry, you're simply too easy to tease, my dear Louise."

While the two became distracted with each other, Ryoga took the opportunity to size up Wardes. Appearance alone the guy was definitely the handsome sort. His mustache and beard gave him the mature but wise look, and through the cloak his body seemed quite muscular and well built, which was surprising given the guy was a noble. He also seemingly had a nice personality going on, and when combined with his looks, probably meant he was popular with women. He could probably go to any town and have a horde of females flocking to him in an instant.

Of course, appearance was nothing when compared to everything else. Wardes' stance seemed laxed, but Ryoga could see moments where it tensed up, as if preparing to spring into action. Given how fast the captain disarmed Guiche, he was probably skilled in combat outside of just magic, and had very fast reflexes and reaction time, which helped to explain the shape his body was in. The noble's eyes were also sharp and hard, like that of an eagle, and never stayed completely focused on who he was speaking to. They were always moving, keenly watching and observant of the surrounding area.

" _So he's the cautious type huh? Just like me,"_ Ryoga observed. _"This guy definitely isn't the standard issue of a noble. Just looking at him I can tell he's strong. Stronger than even Fouquet. Guess that's a given if he's part of this Mage Guard thing. And despite the…age issue and fiance stuff, Henrietta chose him to guide us, so he's probably someone who can be trusted,"_ his eyes sharply narrowed. _"But still…"_

What was this feeling? This strange sense of unease crawling through his gullet? It was as if his instincts were screaming that there was danger present, but he didn't see anything and the Barian pendant wasn't reacting.

So what could it be?

"What's wrong?" The Duelist's thoughts were interrupted when Wardes spoke to him. "Are you having doubts about this trip?"

Ryoga shook his head. "Not really. Just curious. The way Guiche and Katie acted before made me wonder what made you so special," he excused with a half-truth.

"Ryoga don't be rude!" Louise snapped.

"It's alright Louise," Wardes assured. "There's nothing wrong with being curious. In fact I appreciate the honesty. As to your question Sir Familiar, I could tell you many things about what makes me 'special', but personally I don't consider myself to be as fanciful as the public sees me. Though I guess you can say because of that I've built a bit of a reputation for myself."

" _Similar to Katie's brother then,"_ Ryoga considered. He could understand that, given the rep he built back in Heartland. It didn't ease the feeling of suspicion he had, but he decided to set it aside for now. He'd look more into it later when he had the chance, along with this Mage Guard and Griffin Knight thing.

"Well, I suppose we have dallied long enough, haven't we?" Wardes addressed. "My apologies. I was simply caught up with reuniting with Louise," he turned to said fiancee and bowed his head. "Let us speak more as we make our way out."

"R-Right," Louise stuttered, still being very anxious and shy over the older gentleman's appearance.

"Nervous?" Wardes asked. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Aren't you the one who caught Fouquet the Crumbling Dirt? With your courage alone, nothing is impossible."

" _Technically it was several of us,"_ Ryoga corrected mentally, deciding a vocalization would probably just anger Louise more than she was already with him.

Wardes gave a whistle and his griffin stepped forward, lowering itself down to be mounted. He gracefully climbed onto his stead and extended a hand to Louise. "Come over, my Louise."

"Eh?" Louise blushed harder. "B-But my horse is already packed."

"I would rather you ride with me so we may reconnect after so long," Wardes looked to the others. "If that is not an issue of course?"

"Don't see why it would be," Ryoga shrugged. He noticed Louise glare at him when he said that but ignored it. Not like he had a say in it anyways if she wanted to do so. "Hey Guiche, guess we now have a way to let your mole come along."

The playboy blinked in confusion. Ryoga simply pointed between the horse and Verdandi. Guiche quickly connected the dots and turned pale.

"See? Not an issue," Wardes smiled and extended his hand to Louise again. "Now then, shall we?"

The pink-eyed chibi lowered her head in hesitation and bashfulness, almost like a girl with a huge crush or who was in love. She glanced back at Ryoga and saw him focused on helping Guiche and Cat Shark put Verdandi on the back of her horse while Katie watched from the side. She glowered at the sight, not knowing why it upset her, before looking up and giving a small nod, her hand grasping the captain's and letting herself be lifted onto the griffin.

Once everybody was settled on their steeds Wardes snapped the reigns on his griffin. "Alright, we're all set! Everybody, onwards!"

The griffin let out a cry of readiness and charged forward, followed swiftly by the other steeds and floating Xyz spirit. The journey to Albion had at last begun.

* * *

Up above from the headmaster's office window, Henrietta watched Ryoga and group departing for Albion. Her heart beat rapidly in her chest making her bring her hand over her breast, as she closed her eyes and began to pray.

"Founder Brimir, please grant them protection throughout their journey."

"Ow!" A sharp yelp next to her introduced her thoughts. It was Osmond, who was busy looking into a hand mirror and trimming his nasal hair. "Need to be more careful with that."

"You really aren't going to see them off, Headmaster Osmond?" The princess questioned.

"Not at all. As you can see, I'm busy trimming my nasal hair, your highness."

Henrietta sighed and shook her head in disapproval. She sometimes wondered about the old headmaster.

Just then knocking was heard at the door.

"Enter," Osmond called out.

Almost immediately the door burst open as Colbert entered the room with an anxious and fearful look on his face. "Bad news! There's been bad news Headmaster!"

"Ow!" The shouting caught Osmond by surprise and made him hurt himself again. Giving a grumbling noise he put down the scissors and lifted his head. "So there always is it seems. What is the problem this time?"

"I just got word from the castle guards! Fouquet has escaped!"

Immediately the atmosphere changed as Henrietta's expression filled with horror while Osmond's became stern.

"Are you certain?" The headmaster asked, lacking any hint of joking around.

"Yes. They found the guards watching her to have been ripped apart and mutilated, almost like they were attacked by some kind of monster," Colbert explained. "When they checked the cell for Fouquet she was nowhere to be found and the bars to her cell were completely dissolved into ash. It's believed someone broke her out. What's worse is that this happened during the time where the manpower of the guards was diverted to protecting the princess after the incident that happened here. The person knew about the weakened defenses and used the opportunity to help Fouquet escape. That means there might be a spy somewhere in the kingdom!"

Henrietta's face turned deathly pale. "A spy…"

"I'll hear further details later," Osmond said to Colbert, gesturing him to leave. "Go inform the other professors to keep an eye out for any suspicious behavior. And have our guards double their watch."

Colbert nodded and left to fulfill the task. Once he was gone Henrietta placed her hands on the table and began shaking. "We have a spy in our midst…I can't believe it," her fingers curled into fist. "This must be the doings of the Albion nobility!"

"Maybe it is. Who can sa- ow!" Osmond yelped again, having gone right back to his nasal trimming once Colbert had left.

"How can you still be so relaxed!? The future of Tristain is at stake!" Henrietta yelled.

"I am so because nothing else can be done right now. The opponent has already made their move. All we can do now is to wait, isn't that right?"

"But even so..."

Osmond noted the worry on the princess's face. Letting out a quiet sigh he ceased his trimming and faced her fully. "It's alright Your Highness. If it's the mission you're worried about then you have no reason to fear. He is going with them after all. He'll be able to handle any problems they'll face during their journey."

"He?" Henrietta tilted her head. "The person you're speaking of, is it Guiche? Or Viscount Wardes?" Her clear blue eyes narrowed. "Or by chance, do you speak of Ryoga?"

"Got it on the last one."

Henrietta remembered back to all of her interactions with the boy. "I admit he's certainly…different from others, but I'm surprised you would hold such faith in him."

"I do so because he has earned that right from me," Osmond stood from his seat to look out at the horizon. The same one Ryoga and his group were traveling, even if they were no longer in sight. "Your Highness, you said it yourself he is different from others. There is a reason for that, though I'm afraid I cannot tell you as he wishes it kept secret. What I can tell you however, is that he comes from a place far beyond our lands, and that the things he must have experienced there are what has given him the strength to challenge anything we have to throw at him."

"Do you mean to say he is not from Halkeginia?" Henrietta asked with wide eyes.

"Ah, I'm afraid that's all I can reveal Your Highness. He would be quite upset if I said anything else," Osmond chuckled. "Even so, I believe him to be someone whose potential cannot be measured by our normal standards. In fact, I have always believed that this youth, and others like him, would succeed in being able to bring a better future. That, Your Highness, is the reason that I'm so carefree even during these perilous times."

Henrietta gazed to the horizon, staring at it for a moment before closing her eyes and giving a soft smile.

"Let me pray then, for the breeze that comes from another land, to watch over them on this journey as well."

At the same time Henrietta was giving off her wishes, up in the tower housing the student rooms, the window from a certain Germanian's room was open. From it, said beauty looked out to the same pathway the princess did, a wide grin spreading across her face.

* * *

In order to get to Albion one needed to take a ship there from La Rochelle, a port city located two days on horseback from Tristain. Since the departure from the school, Ryoga and the others spent nearly the entirety of their journey on their steeds, hoping to cut as much time off of their trip as they could. Yet no matter how hard a person pushes on something, they all had a limit. And after having traveled nearly the entire first day without end, the group could be seen reaching theirs.

Ryoga wasn't as bad thanks to his heightened stamina and past experience with riding, but for Guiche and Katie, the two nobles looked ready to collapse before their horses could. They weren't used to such fast-paced and forced travel in such a short amount of time. It didn't help that this was so soon after traveling to and from Lagdorian Lake. Even Cat Shark was appearing tired, the spirit's floating looking rather shaky, while Guiche's mole clinged onto the horse out of desperation of not falling off.

The only one not looking this way was Wardes and his griffin. The duo seemed almost immune to the trials of the journey and appeared completely tireless. Louise also appeared fine, though that was mostly due to her just riding in Wardes' arms and not having to actually take the reins at any point.

"Isn't the pace too fast for us?" Louise asked the captain. Throughout the journey her way of speaking became far more informal than usual, partly due to the viscount's request. "The others look on the brink of exhaustion."

Wardes looked back to the group, seeing the words holding truth for the noble students. "Hmm, I suppose we have been moving a bit quickly. But they should be alright. I mean your familiar certainly looks fine to me."

Louise glanced back to Ryoga. Despite the sweat on his face his eyes remained as sharp and unwavering since the start of their trip. It made her chest ache for a moment before she huffed and turned away. "He's just too stupid to get tired," she mumbled more to herself than actually saying.

"Something wrong?" Wardes asked.

"Nothing," Louise denied a bit more quickly than she would have liked. "Still, maybe we should take a break soon."

"But I had originally planned to journey to La Rochelle today without stopping."

"That would be difficult though. It takes two days to reach by horse and we already used the first day without really stopping."

Wardes gave a teasing smile. "If that's the case, why don't we just leave them behind?"

"We can't do that!"

"Why?"

"Well we're in this together aren't we? Furthermore, a noble should not abandon her fami-" Louise stopped halfway through her words. She curled herself up slightly and became very quiet all of a sudden, which immediately caught Wardes' attention.

"You're sure nothing is wrong? You seem quite concerned over something."

"Why would I be concerned over anything?" Louise muttered.

"You are many things my dear Louise, but subtle was never one," Wardes gave a gentle smile, his words making the pinkette embarrassed. "At the very least I'd like to know if I need fear you being stolen from me."

Louise looked up confused. "Stolen?"

"Why romantically of course."

The color red swarmed over the pinkette's face. "W-What!? N-No! Never! Why would I- a-a-and with that jerk of a familiar!?"

"I never said it was your familiar," Wardes teased. Louise turned even redder and looked away, making the older man laugh. "Still, that does set my heart at ease. If my fiancee told me that she already had a sweetheart, I would die of a broken heart."

"You say that, but that arrangement was something our parents had agreed on."

"Then do you dislike me, my small and dainty Louise?"

Louise pouted. "Please, I'm not so young anymore."

"Perhaps," Wardes nodded his head. "But in my eyes you will forever be that small and dainty Louise."

Louise didn't respond. Instead she let her thoughts drift back to those days. The days when she was young and childish, though she knew many would say she was still the latter. One memory in particular stood out, of an event that happened more than once back then. Of the times when her family got mad or upset with her, and she always ran off towards the central lake in the courtyard of the La Valliere grounds.

The lake was large, pristine, and very beautiful. It held a small island in the center with a small white marble house on it. The island was reachable only by a tiny boat docked at the lakes edge. Whenever Louise needed to get away from her family, she took the boat to that island. It was her sanctuary, her freedom away from the pain and stress of her family. She was never discovered either, as her family had completely forgotten about the tiny little boat and island, and so she took to calling it her "Secret Garden".

The only person who even knew about it was Wardes, as he always seemed to be able to find her no matter where she went. He kept the garden a secret though, as he was always caring and gentle with the young noble girl. Whenever she threw a tantrum, he was there to pacify her and ease her heart. It was part of the reason she developed a crush on him when she was younger, and why their families eventually decided to betroth them.

She didn't understand of course. She was young and unaware of just what it meant to have a fiance. All she cared for was being with the man she admired, thinking it would make her happy. But now that she was older she was fully aware what it meant. She would be married to Wardes, a concept that made her heart twist and curl in her chest, not knowing how to feel about it. Especially when she thought of-

" _Stop!"_ Louise mentally shouted at herself. The pain in her heart was returning with a rising heat that she struggled to quench. _"I don't feel anything like that! It was all that damn potion! It made that happen! It made me feel that way and humiliate myself!"_

"Tell me Louise, do you still remember the events after my father's death during the lancer campaign?"

Wardes' voice drew Louise out of her internal struggle. Realizing she had been in a daze she quickly nodded, hoping he didn't notice or that she didn't ignore him by accident. He didn't give an indication to either as he began to reminisce.

"My mother had passed away a short time earlier, and so after my father's death, that left me to inherit his estate and title. Wanting to make a name for myself, I went to the capital in hopes of joining the army. Particularly, I hoped to joined the Mage Guard. Fortunately, the highness had a deep impression of my father, who had perished in the battlefield defending him, and so I was incorporated into the Griffin Knights as a trainee."

"From then on, you seldom went back to your estate again," Louise said, knowing that part of the story.

"Yes, my house and estate were cared for by my butler, Galgann, while I put all my effort into serving the nation. It was vigorous and difficult, but after so long I finally managed to make a name for myself, and in doing accomplished what I had decided upon leaving my homeland."

"What was it that you decided upon?" Louise asked curious.

Wardes gave a bright smile. "Why to ask your hand for marriage once I have made a name for myself."

Louise once again became red. "Y-You're kidding right, Viscount? You're so popular among the girls, you have no need to honor your promise to such an insignificant person like me."

"A promise can only hold so much when it comes to feelings," Wardes spoke with a gentle tone. His hand gently brushed a strand of hair out of Louise's face and tucked it behind her ear, making her look away shyly. "But I understand much time has passed, so you may be uneasy. Let us simply use this journey as a chance for us to regain those feelings we had when you were young."

Louise didn't reply and simply looked down. Those feelings of the past, did she even have them anymore? Did she love Wardes?

She didn't dislike him, obviously, and she still admired him to a large degree. But the her of the past was different from now. She hadn't even seen the viscount since ten years ago. He had become a distant memory. Something forgotten along with the engagement, seen as nothing but a fleeting dream made on a whim. And yet now that dream had become a reality.

It may have seemed cruel to have forgotten something so important, but everybody grew and matured as they aged. Childish dreams were to be cast aside for responsibility and honor. It was a lesson taught harshly by her mother and elder sister. Plus as the years went on she became focused on trying to prove herself a proper mage to everybody, so thoughts of anything to do with marriage or romance were pushed in the deepest recesses of her mind. To her, they were nothing but a distraction.

Yet now more than ever she wished she had focused more on such topics. Maybe if she'd listened to those gossips of the female students about boys she'd have some inkling on what to do. Unfortunately the only real source she had in that regard was Kirche, which was one road she would rather kill herself on before ever going down.

Trying to distract herself Louise's eyes gazed back to the others. A mistake she realized too late as she automatically locked onto Ryoga's form, even when she tried not to look at him. She saw him check on Guiche and Katie, giving them each some of the water he stocked up. She watched him speak and smile at them, while slowly feeling the pain in her chest grow more intense with each action.

" _Just another lie I bet! A damn mask he's putting on like he did to me!"_ Louise thought, her anger rising with the pain. _"And why are they falling for it!? They were there too! They know he's a liar! How can they still interact with him like that!? Everything he's doing is nothing but a mask! His own name was a lie!"_

Her thoughts on the engagement with Wardes may have been indecisive right now, but at least the griffin captain had nothing to hide! She'd known him since she was little, so she knew the kind of person he was! He was honest and kind, noble and respectful, brave and strong. Most important of all, he was truthful about what he felt and who he was, just like the princess!

Not like Kamishirio Ryoga, or Nasch, or whatever name he called himself! It was just another lie of his, just like the rest that were thrown right in her face! Not knowing magic, where he came from, being a king, all of it! All those kind words and promises, all those gentle motions he made, just how many were used to mock her? Had he been laughing behind her back the whole time?

He even made the pitiful excuses of having to hide it. Even if she believed that, which she didn't anymore, what reasons would possibly justify hiding all of that? If you had to hide something that large, than either you did something horrible, or you were trying to keep something safe. And based on what she remembered him saying at Lagdorian, it very much sounded like the former rather than the latter.

Not that she cared anymore. It was probably just another lie like the rest. An excuse he gave to get the others to side with him so they didn't reveal his big secret. The only reason she hadn't done so already was because right now the princess's mission was more important.

When Ryoga turned back in her direction she immediately looked forward, pretending not to have looked back. Even as her hands curled around her arms and she bit her lower lip, she refused to look back.

She hated him! She hated him so much! She hated Kamishiro Ryoga!

" _So then why…"_ Louise's eyes moistened. _"Why does it hurt so much?_

* * *

The moonlight shone down on the group as they neared the end of their long trip. Up ahead was a narrow mountain pathway, which had buildings of stone carved into the very walls of the path. According to Wardes, this path was the last stretch before reaching La Rochelle.

"Are we there yet?" Guiche complained. The playboy was covered in sweat and slouched on his horse. His familiar looked no better on the neighboring horse.

"If you stopped asking that maybe we'd be there already," Ryoga grunted, cracking his back and rubbing his shoulders to ease his own soreness. "Just be glad we're close to the end."

"Mrroooowww," Cat Shark moaned in agreement. The Xyz gave up flying a few hours ago and took to just resting on the back of its' master's horse.

"Yeah, I don't know how much longer I can keep this up," Katie said, her own exhaustion displayed across her face. "Even the trip to Lagdorian wasn't this bad."

"To be fair, we didn't travel there at high-speed with almost no breaks," Ryoga commented.

"I guess that would do it," Katie sighed heavily.

"Someone tell that to him," Guiche complained as he glanced ahead at Wardes. Compared to the playboy, the captain looked as fit and prime since their departure. "We've already been on these horses for nearly a whole day. Doesn't he get tired? Are those griffin knights monsters?"

Ryoga's eyes narrowed. "Who knows," he muttered quietly. Since the captain had taken the lead the former Barian took some time to watch him and Louise interact. From the what he saw the two definitely seemed to have a friendly atmosphere, though not _too_ friendly, which was good seeing as he had no desire for those kinds of images in his head. Louise also seemed very comfortable around the man, far more than anyone else she interacted with before.

That wouldn't be an issue if not for the strange feeling still echoing in Ryoga's gut. It stirred in silence but he couldn't pinpoint what it was. It also didn't help that during the times he observed Wardes, he noticed exactly what Guiche mentioned. No matter how hard or fast they traveled, the man never seemed to be tired or in need of a rest. Hell, at times it felt like the guy was trying to pull away from them.

" _Am I just imagining things?"_ Ryoga wondered. Given all he'd been through the last few days it would make sense if he was overthinking things or even being paranoid. Especially with Louise no longer trusting him. _"Why can't I shake off this feeling that something's wrong?"_

"Are you alright Sir Shark?"

Ryoga became distracted by Katie's question. "I'm fine. A bit exhausted like everyone else, but I'll manage."

"I wasn't talking about the trip," Katie's voice lowered in concern. "I was talking about regarding you and Miss Louise."

The former king flinched but kept a straight face. "What you mean?" He said trying to play the subject off.

"You know what I mean. Please don't treat me like an idiot," Katie said firmly, making Ryoga feel guilty.

"That wasn't…"

"I know," Katie's expression lightened a little. "Sorry, I didn't mean to sound harsh. In fact I wasn't intending to bring this up given everything going on. But I keep seeing that look on your face, and with how strangely you two have been acting these past few days it's gotten to the point where I'm concerned."

"Maybe he's just jealous of Louise's fiance?" Guiche said with a snicker.

Katie glared at the playboy. "This isn't the time for jokes."

"Who said I was joking? Maybe he's carrying a love for his master that would never flower. Honestly though, love between people of different status will only result in tragedy."

Katie prepared to retort only for Ryoga to speak. "An interesting thought, but I feel we need to make this debate more evenly sided. How about I call Big Jaws out and get its' opinion?" He gave Guiche a deadpanned stare. "What do you think?"

"Or I could be completely wrong! Verdandi look, a rock!" Guiche swiftly turned to his familiar and laughed nervously.

"Good choice."

"Ignoring him for a moment," Katie said with a bit more bite than usual before returning to her normal tone. "I'm not trying to intrude in your business Sir Shark. I know there are...things you wish to keep to yourself," Ryoga flinched hearing that. "And I know you won't tell us about them anytime soon. But _you_ also know that I won't just ignore something like this, especially when I see two people who are close suddenly being distant with each other."

Ryoga gave a quiet chuckle. Yeah, he knew all too well given the past few days. He wondered if that trait of hers to help people extended from her brother. She and Henrietta did say he was the kind of person who helped others regardless of status.

"Does it have something to do with what went on at Lagdorian?" Katie asked. The stiffened posture and lack of response seemed to answer for her. "Miss Montmorency said Miss Louise would remember everything that happened, and Guiche and I only arrived after the princess was there. Did something occur before then? What happened after you two ran off?"

Ryoga lowered his head. "That's…"

 **BA-BUMP!**

Before he could think on an answer the Barian pendant's echo rang through his head. His eyes snapped open and moved towards the cliffs, just in time to see a bunch of lit torches thrown at the group. The sudden flames illuminated the once dark ravine and lit a wall of fire before the steeds, frightening them as they started going rampant.

"W-What's happening!?" Guiche freaked out as he desperately held onto the reins.

"Ah!" Katie cried out as she was tossed off her horse. The horse holding Verdandi did the same to the familiar.

"Katie!" Ryoga yelled out.

"Head's up partner!"

Derflinger's cry alerted Ryoga, making him instinctively draw the sword and swing. The blade cut through the air and made contact with something swift and small, tearing it in half and missing Ryoga by inches. A glance at the remains showed them to be part of a wooden arrow. The sound of whistling air rang out as through the night sky a large wave of arrows soon followed the first and reigned down towards the group.

"It's an ambush!" Guiche cried out, his fear causing him to lose balance and fall of his horse.

"Dammit!" Ryoga let go of his horse and jumped off, Cat Shark following similarly. The Xyz moved to cover Guiche while Ryoga did the same for Katie, both ready to defend their friends.

Suddenly a strong gust of wind blew through the wall of fire and towards them. It circled around and changed into a small hurricane that caught all the arrows before sending them back in the direction they came.

"Are you alright!?" Wardes shouted as his griffin quickly moved in front of them.

"We're fine," Ryoga answered, nodding his head to the man in thanks. He quickly helped Katie to her feet and positioned her behind him. "The hell's going on? Why are we being attacked?"

"It's most likely thieves or bandits," Wardes concluded, his eyes narrowed on the cliffs.

"Could it be the nobles from Albion!?" Louise exclaimed.

"Nobles would not use arrows."

"There!" Katie pointed to a group of armed men charging down the cliff.

"From behind as well!" Guiche shouted as another group appeared and trapped them on both ends.

"Dammit!" Ryoga cursed and quickly attached his Duel Disk. "Guiche, do you still have the strength to call those golems of yours!?"

"I-I think so."

"Then have them set a perimeter around this area, now!"

"R-Right!" Guiche immediately got to work, ignoring his tired state and calling upon his magic. A swing of his wand quickly summoned several of his valkyries out from the dirt, each armed with a small shield. They quickly moved in a circle around the group and held the shields at the ready.

"Louise will be safer with me," Wardes declared. "Familiar, can I trust you to handle the back?"

Ryoga didn't like the idea of Louise being right in the middle of the fight, but it was neither the time or place to argue over it. "Leave it to me. Just keep her safe!"

"Of course!" Wardes hit the reins on his griffin, making it give a loud battle cry and charge forward.

"Katie, Cat Shark, stay with Guiche and help him if any get close!" Ryoga ordered before breaking into his own charge.

The first bandits to reach him swung their weapons at the same time. They were greeted with air as Ryoga leaped over their attacks and landed behind them. He turned and struck their backs with Derflinger before bringing the Duel Disk up to block a spear strike and then spinning to dodge an axe swing. Keeping up the movement he carved Derflinger into the bandits sides before kicking another approaching him in the head. He then ducked beneath a heavy sword swing and kicked the attacker's legs from under him, before slamming Derflinger into his chest and using the momentum to flip himself into the air.

The former king's feet smashed into the face of another bandit and knocked him down while Ryoga rolled over his body. Seeing more bandits approach Ryoga drew from his deck and slammed the card on the Duel Disk. A spiraling wave of water appeared right in the middle of the horde, shredding multiple bandits and blowing the others away into the cliffside. The ones watching were so caught off guard that they were unable to react when Big Jaws burst out of the wave and lunged for the nearest bandit, devouring him in a shower of blood.

"M-Monster!" One of the bandits screamed.

Ryoga chuckled darkly. "You have no idea."

The former king charged again, his Duel Monster following right behind him. The number of enemies was large, but what they had in size they lacked in skilled combat, which became evident as Ryoga fought his way through them. Derflinger's blade and the ocean-colored Duel Disk's wing struck the men down with precision and accuracy, while Big Jaws cut loose and devoured anybody in its' path. To anyone watching the display it could be seen as a spectacle of amazing skill and vicious brutality. But to Ryoga it was nothing more than dealing with a threat. No mercy was to be shown to these men who threatened their lives.

As the fight went on Ryoga suddenly heard the sound of flapping wings over the cliffside, followed by screams and explosions. Arrows could be seen shooting towards the night sky, however they were swiftly parried away by wind magic. A large tornado then appeared and blew the archers over the cliffside and careening towards the ground.

" _What the-?"_ Ryoga looked back to the other side of the pathway. Wardes and his griffin were still there, looking to be cleaning up the last of the bandits on that end. _"If that's not him doing that, then who-"_

His thoughts were cut off when he was suddenly football tackled from the side and sent straight into the dirt. Big Jaws noticed the ambush and roared viciously. It moved to try and aid its' master but was cut off by a wall of bandits circling it.

Ryoga was momentarily dazed from the impact but quickly regained focus. Gritting his teeth he looked towards the attacker, a rather large bandit, who he saw was charging at him again. The former king quickly brought both feet up and drilled them into the guy's stomach when he got close, knocking the wind out of the attacker and causing him to stumble back. Ryoga used the opportunity to roll backwards and get to his feet, bringing up Derflinger as he glared at the opponent.

Only to pause at the sight.

The bandit looked no different than the others. Rugged clothes, broken and old armor, looking like he hadn't bathed for weeks, and a set of thick heavy muscles all around. What stopped Ryoga however were the man's eyes. The right one looked like a normal brown-colored eye, but the left was a dark and sickly looking green, with the sclera being completely black.

"What in the-"

"Ryogaaa…"

The former Barian's eyes widened as the man spoke. _"What the hell!? How does this guy know my name!?"_

 **BA-BUMP!**

The Barian pendant echoed loudly. At the same time a black aura began to slowly rise out of the bandit's distorted eye and surround his body.

"Kami...shiro...Ryoo **OGAAAAAAAA!"**

Ryoga's eyes widened as the aura exploded outwards and ran over him. A vile and polluted feeling traveled through his spine from the sensation, so much so that it was enough to make him feel sick. Once the feeling passed he looked back to the bandit and noticed the man looking different than before. His skin was much paler, his muscles seemed to have enlarged, with veins pulsating rapidly all over, and his face gained a far more savage appearance to it, with the eyes coldly staring at the Duelist.

"What is this?" Sweat dripped down the back of Ryoga's neck. Was this guy a mage? What kind of magic could give off this feeling of...corruption? And why did it feel so familiar?

" **RAAAAGH!"** The bandit lunged forward, his speed suddenly seemingly enhanced by the aura. Ryoga managed to dodge to the left, but was still taken by surprise from the sudden boost in power. Even more so when the bandit seemed to effortlessly spin on his heel and bolt right at him.

"Shit!" Ryoga moved backwards to get away. The bandit quickly caught up though, much to his shock, and started attacking with a series of punches. Ryoga avoided the attacks as best he could until one heavy swing came to his side. He quickly brought up the Duel Disk to intercept, but was caught off guard when upon impact, the force behind the attack caused his body to lift off the ground and send him flying to the right. He crashed into the ground and tumbled a bit before coming to a stop.

"Partner, you alright!?" Derflinger called out.

"Y-Yeah," Ryoga replied back a bit shaken. His body trembled from the force of the blow but he ignored it and dug Derf into the dirt to help himself up. "Dammit, that strength wasn't normal. The hell's going on?"

"No idea. Never felt something like this before," Derflinger said, having also sensed the strange dark aura. "Whatever it is though, it's got a nasty feeling. Don't let your guard down partner!"

"I don't need to be told the obvious!"

The bandit charged again and tried to claw at Ryoga. He quickly ducked down beneath the attack and attempted to move in for a strike, but was forced to jump back from another rapid swing. The bandit kept up the momentum and continued swinging wildly. Not wanting a repeat of before, Ryoga focused on maneuvering out of the way of the attacks, which put him on the defensive seeing how fast the bandit moved on top of not seeming to tire out.

As he continued to dodge however Ryoga noticed the bandit's moves were very linear and simple, making them easy to track despite their speed. Coming up with an idea the Duelist leaped back as far as he could, forcing the bandit to extend his next punch to try and reach him. It was exactly what Ryoga wanted, as the attack became overextended and threw the bandit off balance.

"Got you!" Ryoga easily ducked underneath the attack and wasted no time as he pulled himself close against the bandit and stabbed Derflinger into the man's chest and out his back. The bandit screamed in pain but was immediately silenced by Ryoga's Duel Disk slamming against his face. This happened three more times before Ryoga pulled the rusted blade out and swung down, cutting clean across the bandit's torso.

The bandit stumbled back for a moment, dazed and confused. After a second he fell backwards onto the dirt road, his eyes closing and the corrupted aura around him dissipating almost instantly.

"Did that do it?" Derf wondered.

"I think so," Ryoga answered, keeping his grip on Derf tightened just in case. He waited to see if anything would happen, but the bandit simply lay there bleeding out while any trace of that strange aura was nowhere to be detected. One second passed, then two. After five seconds he gave a sigh of relief. "Geeze, what the heck was-"

 **BA-BUMP!**

The bandit's eyes snapped open.

" **Trap Card, activate!** "

The dark aura suddenly seemed to bring itself into existence out of nowhere. Caught off guard Ryoga could only watch as the air in front of him twisted into a solid shape. One that lit his face with shock.

"That's a-"

"LOOK OUT PARTNER!"

Derf's cry was the only warning Ryoga had before he felt the ground beneath his feet tremble. He snapped his head down just in time to witness the earth crumble and break apart before falling into a dark abyss, with his body quickly following suit from the loss of surface and hold of gravity.

Panic racing through his head Ryoga acted on pure instinct and reached out for something to grab hold of. By luck his hand managed to snag the edge of the earth still remaining, halting his sudden descent. He felt his grip was weak though and not going to last, so he quickly reversed the position of Derflinger and slammed the blade deep into the earth and soil to anchor himself. This proved the right choice as the edge he was holding onto broke off almost immediately after, causing him to tumble for a moment but remain in place due to his grip on the sword.

"Gah, fuck!" Ryoga cursed from the strain on his arm. Gritting his teeth he dug his other hand into the earth to help hold himself in place.

"That was way to close. You okay partner?" Derf asked worried.

"Do I really need to answer that right now?" Ryoga tightened his grip on Derf's handle and the wall, refusing to let go for fear of falling. Taking the chance to look around he saw he was in a rather large sinkhole, one at least several meters deep. Even more terrifying was that the hole had large stone spikes pointed upwards from the bottom. If he hadn't caught himself just now he would have been skewered.

" **Kamishrioooo...Ryogaaaa…"**

The water user's head snapped up to see the bandit from before at the edge of the hole. Despite the injuries the man suffered he didn't seem to notice or care, and instead held his palm out to Ryoga as a mass of the dark aura from before gathered in it.

"This is bad!" Derf screamed.

" **KAMISHIRO RYO-AAAGH!"**

Before the bandit could do whatever he was planning a stream of fire collided with his back and engulfed him in a tornado of flames. The bandit wailed in agony as his flesh burned, causing him to tumble into the hole. Ryoga didn't bother looking even as he heard the splattered sounds below. Instead he looked up to see a familiar redhead staring down at him.

"Well darling, you seem to be in quite the predicament."

"Kirche?" Ryoga uttered surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"Saving you apparently," Kirche smiled and kneeled down to extend her hand. "Need a hand?"

"Hilarious," Ryoga scoffed but grasped the hand and pulled himself and Derflinger out of the hole. He took a moment to catch his breath before speaking again. "Thanks."

"Do I get a reward for my heroic effort?" Kirche teased.

"Don't push your luck."

"Eh, worth a try."

"Sir Shark!" Katie's worried voice called out as she and the others rushed over, alongside another familiar face. It was Sylphid, the giant wind dragon rushing past them all and landing right next to Ryoga.

"Kyuui!" The dragon nuzzled Ryoga's cheek. He groaned from the contact but for once wasn't so annoyed by it, probably in part to having just survived a near-death experience.

"Nice to see you too," he greeted the giant lizard, making her rather pleased. He glanced over the familiar's head to see Tabitha on top of the dragon. Much to his surprise she looked like she had just gotten out of bed, as her hair was a mess and she was still wearing her pajamas. Despite this she looked at him and nodded in greeting.

"Sir Shark!" The others finally reached the group. Sylphid pulled away to allow Katie to kneel down and check on the purple-clad boy. "Are you okay? You're not hurt are you?"

"Mrrow mrrow," Cat Shark meowed its' own concerns. Big Jaws gave a similar gurgle.

"Thankfully no, I'm fine," Ryoga rubbed the Xyz's head in reassurance. "The bandits, are they taken care of?"

"The remaining ones ran off," Wardes answered. "I assume thanks in part to our unexpected helpers."

"Sorry to keep you waiting," Kirche flicked her hair and smiled.

"What do you mean sorry to keep you waiting!?" Louise jumped down from Wardes' griffin shouting. "Why are you here in the first place!?"

"Not to help you in any case," Kirche replied. "I just happened to see you guys leave the academy the other morning and got curious, so I quickly woke up Tabitha and followed you all the way here."

Ryoga glanced at Tabitha's appearance again. The "quickly woke up" part was a definite. Tabitha didn't seem to care however and just ignored the conversation as she read a book.

"Zerbst, listen to me. You can't be here right now," Louise declared.

"Why not?" Kirche asked.

"Because we're on a secret mission given to us by her highness!"

Ryoga's jaw dropped. Did she just...she totally did. "Louise!"

"A secret mission?" Kirche's eyes widened and she grinned with delight. "You should have said so earlier! How would I know if you did not tell me about it?"

Ryoga facepalmed. "Because it was _supposed_ to be a secret," he growled out with a glare to Louise. The pinkette now seemed to realize her mistake and looked thoroughly embarrassed.

"Well too late now," Kirche cheered. "And anyways you should be thankful to me. For I have apprehended the people who wanted to ambush you!"

The Germanian beauty pointed over her shoulder to a group of bandits leaning against the cliff wall. They looked beaten up but were still alive, if not evident by the weak curses and shouts they threw at the group.

"Interrogation," Tabitha said quietly.

"What she said. Personally I would have just burned them all, but Tabitha mentioned you might want to keep some alive for questioning, so there you go," Kirche said with a shrug.

"Leave it to me then. I'll get answers from them," Guiche said. He received blank looks from the other students and Ryoga. "H-Hey don't look at me like that! My father was a general after all. He taught me some interrogation techniques he learned while on duty."

"No offense Guiche but...it's still you," Katie said as politely as she could. It still made Guiche hang his head in sorrow.

"Tabitha, mind helping him out?" Ryoga asked the bluenette. Tabitha simply shut her book and got off Sylphid before making her way towards the bandits. Guiche quickly followed so as to not be left behind.

"It really is interesting how much she listens to you," Kirche commented. "She almost never listens to anyone except me. Just what kind of things have you been doing in those 'tutoring sessions' of yours?" She asked with a teasing tone.

"Nothing your mind is probably thinking of," Ryoga replied, refusing to give into the teasing.

"Oh, want to test that?"

"Enough!" Louise shouted. Even though she hated Ryoga right now she still couldn't stand the site of Kirche acting all flirty with him. _"Not that I care who he flirts with anymore!"_ She quickly reminded herself. "Listen Kirche, forget what you heard and just go back to the school. There's probably some boy's bed sheets that you could warm up there."

Kirche chuckled. "Entertaining as that may be, I did mention before I didn't come here for you," she immediately latched onto Ryoga's arm. "I came for darling!"

Louise and Katie both bristled at the sight. Ryoga just pulled Kirche off and put Cat Shark between them.

"Well regardless of your reason, thank you for coming to our aid," Wardes said.

"Oh?" Kirche gave a sly smile as she thoroughly examined the man before her. "My pleasure, though I believe I haven't had the introduction."

"Wardes," the griffin captain introduced himself politely. "Though I must insist you keep your gaze elsewhere. I don't wish my fiancee to get the wrong idea," he said as he glanced to Louise, who turned red in an instant.

"Huh!?" Kirche gawked. "Fiancee? She's your fiancee?"

Wardes nodded. Kirche couldn't believe what she was hearing. This handsome looking man was the fiance of her rival? It was such an impossible thing to believe she almost thought it a joke. Yet the look in the man's eyes spoke nothing but truth.

There was something else in those eyes however. She did not realize it at first, but hidden behind the initial front, Wardes' eyes showed no emotion. They were frigid. Just like ice. In a way it was similar to Ryoga's look when he first rejected her. The difference was in the feeling behind them. With Ryoga, he at least held anger and disgust for her in those wondrous cold eyes of his. But here she saw nothing. No emotion, no feeling, nothing, as if she was staring into an endless void.

It disturbed her to no end.

"By the way, is this creature yours?" Wardes asked pointing to Big Jaws.

"Mine actually," Ryoga corrected. Big Jaws nodded and moved itself around its' master protectively.

"Yours?" Wardes said surprised.

"It's his familiar, Big Jaws," Katie explained. "Sir Shark says he has a spell that lets him call it anytime he wants."

"Oh?" Wardes gained a curious look that Ryoga didn't like, especially when they glanced down to his Duel Disk. The captain soon dropped the look and smiled. "Well, it was good you called your familiar when you did. I had heard from the rumors that you were a noble, but seeing it for myself is something else. Still, it's always good to have another magic user with us, especially one so skilled."

"Yeah, thanks…" Ryoga didn't really pay attention to the compliments. He was more focused on the pitfall behind him. His mind raced back to that moment where he thought the bandit was dead. No, he was certain the guy was dead, but then somehow the guy came back and called out that sickly aura again that nearly killed him. _"And that's not all..."_

" _ **Trap Card, activate!**_ _"_

" _There's no way I misheard that. And that shape the aura took...it definitely looked like a Duel Monster's card,"_ Ryoga's eyes became hardened. _"But how? The guy didn't have any cards or a Duel Disk on him. I even tested the theory with Siesta. Was it that strange aura? What the hell was that? Some kind of magic that exist in this world? I don't recall something like that in the school lessons. And the fact he knew my name…"_

"We're back!" Guiche's announcement caught everyone's attention as he and Tabitha returned. "Viscount, those ambushers admitted that they were robbers. They saw our supplies and thought they'd get a big score."

Wardes hummed to himself for a moment before nodding. "If they're just robbers then let them go."

"What?" Ryoga snapped his head to the viscount in disbelief. "You're joking right? They tried to kill us just now."

"And we beat them back with ease," Wardes countered. "There's no need for anymore deaths. Besides, I'm sure they'll think twice before trying something like this again."

That was the problem in Ryoga's mind. The "again" part. Wardes' reasoning wasn't completely wrong, but these bandits should be tied up and handed over to the local guardsmen. The idea that Wardes, a military captain if his title was anything to go by, was just letting them go made the Duelist feel like there was more to the decision than what was being said.

Still, regardless of how he felt Ryoga couldn't afford to argue something minor like this right now. Not when there were bigger questions on his mind that he needed answers too, and he refused to leave without them.

"Fine, just give me a minute to talk to them," Ryoga said. "There's something I want to confirm for myself."

Everyone looked at him oddly but Wardes simply nodded. "If that is what you wish. Just don't take too long. We need to make up for the lost time," he turned his focus on Kirche and Tabitha. "As for you two, I can imagine you won't leave even if I were to ask politely."

"Nope," Kirche grinned. "I'm way too curious now to let this go."

"Zerbst, you-" Louise began, only for Wardes to gently place a hand on her shoulder to stop her.

"Very well," the viscount nodded. "You may accompany us for the time being then. Know however that what we are doing here is classified information only known by her highness. You will not learn more than you need to, nor will you speak of it to anyone else, also-"

The rest of their talk went ignored as Ryoga walked away from the group. He motioned Big Jaws to follow him, which the spirit did so immediately, and the two made their way over to the bandits. Once they were close enough the bandits noticed them and the one nearest to Ryoga scoffed and spat on the ground.

"Another punk brat huh? What do you wa- ack!"

The man didn't get to finish his sentence as he was grabbed by the collar and slammed against the cliff wall. The bandit was taken aback by the kid's strength, but the pain in his back quickly filled him with anger. He prepared to curse the kid out, but found his tongue oddly silenced by the sight of the ice cold gaze the boy was emitting.

"I'm only going to ask you once," Ryoga's voice came out dangerously low. "If I don't like what I hear, you'll get to experience what my friend here did to the rest of your friends."

Big Jaws licked its' lips, which were still covered in some blood from the other prey it devoured, at the idea put forward. The bandit, only now noticing the beast, turned stark white and began profusely sweating. He recalled seeing how it tore into the others like wet tissue paper and how their weapons did nothing to hurt it.

That's when what the brat said clicked. This thing was his friend? How could a brat like him have become friends with a monster like that? But if what the kid was saying was true, then he wasn't fooling around about his threat either. Realizing this and not wanting to suffer the same fate, the bandit fearfully nodded.

"W-W-What do you want to know? We told those other brats everything already."

"Not everything," Ryoga's grip tightened. "That one bandit I fought, the one with that dark aura. What was that? Where did he get that power from?"

"I-I don't know."

"DON'T LIE TO ME!"

Maybe it was the fear making him hallucinate, but the bandit swore for a moment the boy's left eye flashed red.

"I-I swear man! All I know is he went out one night and when he returned he seemed different! He even recommended setting up an ambush this morning even though there were no travelers for miles! But then when you guys showed up in the distance he told us to get ready! It's like he knew you were coming or something!"

Ryoga frowned and looked back to the sinkhole. _"Knew we were coming?"_

" _ **Kamishrioooo...Ryogaaaa…"**_

" _Then it really wasn't a coincidence he knew my name,"_ Ryoga snapped his gaze back on the bandit. "You said he seemed different. How exactly?"

The bandit gulped and nervously answered. "I-It was weird. The guy's always been the prideful kind, ya know? Boasting and liking to show off, but after that night he didn't do that anymore. He was a lot more cold and serious, and even started acting vicious to us. He even beat down some of his buds just for messing around with him."

"And what about me? Do you know why he was after me?"

"Fuck man I don't got a clue! Hell, none of us even knew he was after you. We just thought this was gonna be a regular old robbery, nothing else!"

The growl from Ryoga's throat made the bandit nearly wet himself. Ryoga didn't pay attention to the bandit's reaction though and was instead cursing in his head. If what the guy said was true then the other bandits probably knew just as much as this one, which equivalated to almost nothing.

Still, the knowledge that the bandit who attacked him was originally different from what he encountered didn't sit well for the purple-clad teen. It sounded way too much like the effects of Tron or Don Thousand when they used their powers to manipulate others. Given that the aura around the guy felt unnatural, he must have encountered something the night he wandered off. Something that gave him that kind of power and change in personality.

" _But that still doesn't explain how he knew me,"_ Ryoga's brow furrowed. _"Even if he was changed, I've never seen that guy before today. And I doubt this has to do with those muddled memories Nereida spoke of. So there's no way for him to have known-"_ a thought crossed his head that filled his expression with startled revelation. _"Unless…"_

Unless the guy was _told_ about him. If he was ordered to attack him specifically by someone else. Someone who could have given him that power and twisted aura, and used it to control him.

Someone...who knew about Duel Monsters.

Ryoga dropped the bandit. "Do yourself a favor. Find a new line of work for you and your friends, and pray we don't encounter each other again."

Big Jaws hissed for emphasis. The bandit fearfully nodded and Ryoga walked back towards the group, de-summoning Big Jaws along the way. When he got back he saw the others were getting back on their steeds and prepared to leave.

"Get what you needed?" Wardes asked.

"Yeah," Ryoga's response came calm and even, like usual.

Wardes nodded and effortlessly mounted back onto the top of his griffin, carrying Louise up with him. "Let's move then. We've lost enough time dealing with this. La Rochelle is just up ahead, so we'll rest and recover there for tonight, and tomorrow at the break of dawn we'll take the first ship to Albion."

Wardes snapped the reins of his griffin, which gave a loud cry before racing off. The horses and Sylphid followed suite as they made their way into the mountain pathway.

The entire time nobody noticed Ryoga's tight grip on his reins or the cold look in his eyes.

* * *

As the group rode off, two figures watched their departure from atop a large cliff. One was cloaked in a black robe and wore a white mask. The other figure however was easily recognized as being Fouquet.

"Well, that was certainly informative," the white masked figure spoke, the voice sounding masculine.

"You doubted my word?" Fouquet asked with a mocking tone.

"Not at all. He's as resourceful as you claimed. Which can prove to be more troublesome than expected for us."

"Getting cold feet?"

"Nothing of the sort, my dear. Simply being cautious. Though this may in fact prove to our advantage," the masked man looked over to Fouquet. "What of you? Were you able to handle the power this time?"

Fouquet displayed a wide grin and lifted her left arm for display. On it was the green and gray gauntlet she showed off to those men who she ended up hiring. To them it was simply a piece of armor. But to her, it was her newest possession and special treasure.

Her Duel Disk.

"I barely felt the strain at all this time. I think I've grown quite used to it now," Fouquet giggled. She then paused and frowned. "Though I have to say I wasn't too fond of testing these things out. Not really my style if I do say so," she declared as she removed two cards from the Duel Disk. The moonlight showed one to be a Magic Card and the other a Trap Card.

"It was necessary to see if you could handle the power of other cards not related to your deck," the man extended his palm to Fouquet, to which she dropped the cards in. "Now that I know you can, I feel more assured for your role to come."

Fouquet's eyes lit with delight. "Then it's settled?"

"Yes. In two days, we'll make our move."

The green-haired thief's lips broke into a wide smile as a vile chuckle escaped her throat. _"Just you wait for me, Kamishiro Ryoga. We'll see each other again very soon. And when we do…"_ a dark aura swarmed over her as her left eye began to fill with black, with the iris changing from amber to neon green. _"I'll be sure to pay you back for that wound you gave me!"_

* * *

 **Hey guys, here's the new chapter! Hope you enjoy what's going on. Especially since next chapter will involve what I expect many have been anticipating.**

 **A duel between two individuals...and maybe...something else on the side happening.**

 **Also I'm happy about the positive feedback regarding Nereida. I was really worried about her appearance, but you guys seem really supportive and like what I'm doing. I only hope my continued ideas for the future help to make everything greater for you to read.**

 **Now before I get into reviews, I actually have...not so much a favor, but more a request. You see, one of the reasons I got into writing was because of rping with a friend of mine. This friend also happens to write, though he struggles at times cause he never feels his work is good enough or that he will not be able to think of things, which can make him really depressed. But despite his doubts, he actually IS a decent storyteller and can come up with some pretty awesome shit and ideas. And apparently, because of me writing this story, I inspired him to try and write his own Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfic.**

 **Prewarning, his story is a full OC telling story with references to the older series. Specifically his is in the GX timeline, though he plans to add future elements, and it's because he and I both agree that the first season of GX was not only amazing, but that while the serious tone towards the halfway point wasn't bad, that seeing the school elements and slice of life genre added to a series like Yu-Gi-Oh! was just fun and entertaining. And that's what his story is hoping to be. His own Duel Academy story of a slice of lice school setting. I know it's been done before, but I think he really can come up with something cool and I like some of the ideas he has planned already.**

 **As I said, I'm not asking a favor, but I would really appreciate it if you guys go and check out his first 2 chapters. Give him some constructive feedback. Some reviews at least. It'd really help motivate him to keep writing and try to push himself.**

 **His story is Yu-Gi-Oh! GX: War of the Roses (It's a title in progress right now). His account name is ArcsageSaleth. It's written in a Light Novel format. It's found in the GX fanfic section, under friendship/adventure genre, with OC character selection. It's got 2 chapters right now. Like I said, I'd appreciate if you at least look at it and give him some feedback.**

 **That's all I ask, and it'd really be awesome of you bros and gals ^.^**

 **NOW ONTO THE REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER 24!**

 **duskrider: Thank you very much man. I was really worried about including Nereida, but I'm glad you enjoy her. And as you see, there are some...pretty tense changes. Especially with Louise. Keep an eye on things to come.**

 **Frank Horrigan: You know I just love your reviews dude XD, they're just like if you were in the world and what you'd say and do. Keep them up, they always make me smile. And yes, FUCK YOU FOUQUET (even if I'm the one writing her this way, haha)**

 **ivan0061509: I'm glad you enjoyed it. I'm gonna try and make it so I can get out a new chapter every month or 2. That'll be my deadline. At least once a month, and if not, before 2 months. Partly from how busy I am, and also because I want to ensure you guys get the best quality. Hope you don't mind.**

 **jordanlink7856: Oh?...You do do you? *Grins widely* If you do, keep it a secret. And if you're thinking who I think you're thinking, while it can seem weird I do have a full backstory behind how and why she's like this. Still, thank you for loving my chapter!**

 **Omega Porunga: Thank you, glad you enjoy that Ryoga's secret is slowly breaking out. As for your question, I will say there are SEVERAL factors for why Ryoga's memories are being muddled right now. Don Thousand might actually be one of them (as I myself have debated that) so that could be a yes or no. We'll both find out in the future though, don't worry.**

 **gold crown dragon: Technically both already met, but I get what you mean *chuckles*. She doesn't know now...but when she does...ohhhhhh the fun I'll have.**

 **VRodNinja: You have a point on the erasure thing. I guess I'm just basing it on the timeline I have set in my head from DM to Zexal. And yes, I suppose maybe they can still exist, just not where they were originally...hmmm...I'll think on that some more. And don't worry, I'm gonna try my best to be careful. While OC cards will probably be a more casual thing (since this IS Yu-Gi-Oh! after all) right now Nereida is my only OC character. If others do show up though, I will be cautious about them and try to see if they can properly fit with what's going on. But thank you for the concern. I always appreciate it.**

 **No Fanfic No Life: Your welcome XD. Regarding your question, without giving too much away I will say that there is a reason people are being able to have Duel Monsters cards, and in Fouquet's case, a Duel Disk, on them. And as you saw...she can use them now...I wonder what will happen because of it *grins evily***

 **Also yeah, the missing memories are something that will play a factor in my story. Whether they connect the Barian World to Halkeginia or something else, well I'll leave you to figure out. But I am glad you're enjoying it and looking forward to more, so keep ready for the next chapter.**

 **As for the omakes...heheh, I'm glad you love them. I wasn't sure if I should do more, but maybe I will now. I'll think about it.**

 **mega float guest: SWEET YOU MADE AN ACCOUNT! Welcome to fanfic fully ^.^. Hope you liked this chapter just as much! And yes, your ideas have helped me with some plans so thank you. And yes...Arc-V did disappoint *hangs head*. And I, like most, absolutely dislike Pendulums for what they did to the game. As for Links, I have no real opinion yet but I at least like that they require at least a bit more strategy and planning to use. Just have to wait and see how they turn out.**

 **Guest: hahaha! Thanks!**

 **stardustdragon2011: Wow...these are the kinds of reviews that always make me smile and embarrassed, hehe. Thank you for taking the time to give me a proper review and opinion on the story. I'm glad you like how I'm handling things and making them work and blend seamlessly together. It hasn't been easy, and I've been reading the light novels over and over to reaffirm the ideas I have planned, but I am doing my best to ensure this story is the best it can be! And yeah, while the plot for now is following the standard basics to SOME degree, I do have plans for many things to begin changing. You've seen already one in the form of Fouquet having a Duel Disk...and trust me...more are to come. (such as what you suggested in the review...hint hint *grins*)**

 **I'm also glad you like the bond I formed between Louise and Ryoga. It was NOT easy at all. These two are SO similar at times yet so different that it's hilarious and painful to watch. But it's because of that reason that I see how they could grow close and come to care for each other. But of course as you've seen, the relationship is now being put to a test because of Ryoga's secrecy and Louise's fears and inferiority complex. How will this affect the future is something I can't wait to show. As for the connection between the Barian and Zero world...ohhhh trust me, I have ideas for that.**

 **Also thank you for telling me not to worry about the timelines. I have however managed to come up with a possible timeline scenario between the two dimensions thanks to a very specific line from the light novel regarding Siesta's great-grandfather. And with a ton of research in the Yu-Gi-Oh! timeline from DM to Zexal, it reaffirms my ideas for the future! Hahahah, I can't wait!**

 **BarianFan93: Not a problem. I enjoy responding because it allows me to communicate back with you guys and let you know I AM listening. And thank you, I too found it always strange and even unnatural when someone reveals everything about themselves to strangers, especially in crossing worlds. Now I get it, you do need to say some things to make people understand and trust you, I can get down with that. But revealing your history, your backstory, to people you don't even know? To compete strangers? No offense, but that is dangerous and something you shouldn't be so careless with, especially since you don't know how people will react (which while usually can be disbelief, some can act very negatively to such revelation). Which is why I know someone like Ryoga would take a lot more caution since he's in a completely new world without any ideas on who to trust.**

 **Which again points out, you should only reveal so much, and maybe when you trust people, start opening up to them, then you can reveal more, which Ryoga has been steadily doing. This just happened to be a point where he had no choice but to reveal things he didn't want too at the time. Was he wrong for keeping it a secret? No, but he also knew what would happen if it did get revealed, as shown last chapter, and is now seeing some of the consequences from it. Would he have told them in the future? Maybe, but no way of knowing now.**

 **And yes, Louise is just as in the wrong with her actions right now. Firstly, she's completely wrong about Ryoga's thoughts on Henrietta, but right now she is confused, scared, angry, worried, and hurt because of what she learned and how much Ryoga hid from her. She doesn't know if she can trust him, and is now frightened that everything he told her, all he's said, was just a lie. She's acting rashly, yes, but so would you if you discovered that everything you thought you knew about someone you care for was a lie. This as you can tell is going to impact what happens in the future.**

 **And yes, as I said in earlier chapters, Ryoga will not bow down and become someone's servant like Saito. He stayed with Louise because not only did he need a place to stay until he learned more about the world, but to help her not have to be kicked out (thanks to Yuma's influence on his character) and because, as he said during the ball, he owed her for somehow giving him one more shot at life.**

 **NOW FOR THE REVIEW OF OTHER CHAPTERS!:**

 **HattP: I'm...sorry? What about it is generic and bad that you dislike? You probably won't respond or see this, but just saying things like that makes me feel you're either trolling or just one of those who hates without having a legit reason. Whatever it is, if you don't like my story, I won't force you to read it. Just do not hate for simply hating.**

 **That's all the reviews guys! So my new deadline for chapters will be 1 - 2 months. Long, maybe, but with how busy I am it's the best I can do. Plus, I want to make sure you get the best quality possibly for what is coming. So stay tuned because next chapter...if you know the story of Zero no Tsukaima...**

 ***Cat Shark hands me a mic***

 **DING DING DING!**

 **IN THIS CORNER, WE HAVE THE KING OF THE BARIAN EMPERORS AND XYZ MASTER, KAMISHIRO RYOGA!**

 **AND IN THE OTHER CORNER, THE FIANCE OF LOUISE AND CAPTAIN OF THE GRIFFIN KNIGHTS, WARDES!**

 **LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLET'S GET READY TO RUMBLLLLLLLLLLLLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!**

 **TrueHeartKnight**


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